Saving Happiness
by AnnAbserver
Summary: The Rangers are forced to team up to go against a foe that has found the one and only thing that could truly break them... Please review! Seasons: Mighty Morphin, Ninja Storm, Wild Force, Time Force, Lightspeed, SPD, Mystic, Space
1. Chapter 1

Saving Happiness- takes place post Mystic Force. Couples in summery, please read and review!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. As per usual.

CHAPTER 1

The motor purred with contentment, mirroring exactly what Nick felt the moment he pulled up beside the Briarwood sign. He waved to his parents as they left for Rootcore, took off his helmet, and he pulled out his morpher.

"Xander here, what's up?" the Australian accent was clear even over the phone.

"Hey Xander, guess what I'm looking at!" Nick laughed, gazing out at the city.

"Nick!" his voice grew faint, "Guys its Nick!!"

"I kind of expected Maddie to pick up." Nick admitted carefully, trying not to sound disappointed.

"She's with a customer, how ya doing Nick?" Vida chimed through.

"Nick! Can't wait to see you!" Chip called out.

"Can't wait to see you too, I'll be there in a little while." Nick gazed over the familiar city, memories assailing him.

"Nick?" a shy voice crept into his ear.

"Maddie!" he tried to sound calm, failing miserably.

"Nick! I'm so happy you're back!" Maddie opened her mouth to say something else when suddenly another voice cut through.

"Rangers, there's trouble in the city!" Udonna sounded surprised.

"Hey Udonna!" Maddie sounded happy; "We'll head over there right away." She hesitated, "How fast can you get here Nick?"

"I'm 25 miles from the city, you'll have that baddie packaged and ready to mail by the time I get there!" Nick felt almost disappointed.

"We'll call you if we need you, meet you at Rootcore?"

"I'll be there." Nick said disconnecting. He sighed, than aimed his bike into the woods. He had really hoped that he and Maddie wouldn't be interrupted by ranger duties now that he was back. Wasn't there some new ranger team that was supposed to be handling all of these things now? He parked his bike, deciding to come back and get it later; he wanted to get to Rootcore now to watch the battle in the globe. He placed his hand on the nearest tree, imagining Rootcore in his mind. The familiar swirl swept through his body and he was there.

"Home." He murmured, smiling to himself as he swept through the dragon's mouth.

"Bowen." Leanbow acknowledged, his eyes glued to the golden bubble in the middle of the table.

"They are being attacked by another Ranger." Udonna said, standing next to her husband.

"What?" Nick cried, walking over. His eyes widened as he watched the Rangers being thrown back by the unseen foe.

"Nick!" Clare cried walking out and giving him a quick hug, before she too was awed by the sight in the bubble.

"A Red Ranger!" Daggeron cried, as Udonna's face fell. The Red Ranger stormed into view. The helmet design was simple, just a black visor shaped like a mask to hide the eyes, and a silver ventilation shaft just below that. What shocked everyone however, was the red skirt and slight bulge on the Ranger's chest. The Red Ranger attacking Nick's friends was a girl.

--

Xander kicked and punched along with all of his friends, but even if one of them did land a hit it didn't faze the Red Ranger in the least. She was just too fast for them.

"Power of the Lightning!" Chip cried calling on his element to strike down upon the Red Ranger. Xander heard her chuckle, than suddenly he, Maddie, and Vida were standing right where she used to be.

"No!" Chip cried as his lightning struck his friends, throwing them to the ground, "you'll pay for that!" he cried turning towards her. She sliced him with her sword, sending sparks shooting out from his protective costume. Chip felt his energy drain with every blow, finally falling to the ground, even as his friends struggled to get up and save him. "You're going down!" he gasped; trying to sound like he wasn't beaten, but they both knew the truth.

"I've barely started! And you? You're the one that hurt your own team!" The Red Ranger snapped, grabbing him by the collar. "Where's your Red Ranger, too afraid to play with me? I know he's back." She threw him to the ground, casting a transportation spell around him, "Fetch him." He sank through the ground, hearing his friends calling his name. He felt himself falling, his morph evaporating as he hit the ground of Rootcore.

"Chip!" Strong hands helped him to sit up. He looked into Nick's eyes, fighting not to black out.

"Nick!" he stammered, glancing up at Udonna and Leanbow, "She said she wanted to fight you… said she was going to take what she needed from us, we couldn't stop her."

"What does she want from us?" Leanbow asked as Nick stood up.

"Don't know." Chip gulped, his eyes rolling back, he went limp.

"Chip!" Nick cried.

"Get to the others!" Clare shouted, running to get water, "Hurry!" Nick nodded, morphing through sheer willpower as he ran for his racer. The next thing he knew he was in the air, completely tuning out his mother and father's cries to be careful. The trees flew past him as he flew faster than the wind. Briarwood finally came into view, he aimed towards the middle of the city, hoping and praying he wasn't too late. Why hadn't he just gone to begin with? Than maybe Chip wouldn't be hurt and his friends wouldn't be in such great danger.

"Hang on guys!" he murmured. Urging his racer to go faster. He felt it before he saw it, a huge ball of heat that penetrated through his armor. The explosion was truly amazing, and all he could hear was his own voice shouting Maddie's name as he was thrown from his racer to the ground below.

--

"Maddie!" "Sis!" Vida and Xander shouted as the smoke cleared, but the Blue Mystic Mermaid had seemingly disappeared in the explosion. Vida and Xander were on opposite sides of the Red Ranger, who was still floating in the air above them.

"Vida!" She sang, spinning her sword and creating a tornado, "Let's see how you handle your element!" The swirl of air reached out towards the pink ranger, lifting her off the ground.

"No!" Xander shouted, calling upon the earth. Vines reached out, pulling Vida back to the ground and encasing her in a small barrier of vines, ensuring that the Red Ranger couldn't get to her. The tornado whistled harmlessly over the earth-fort.

"Smart move." The Red Ranger whistled, floating back to the ground and gazing in at the pink ranger through the vines. Vida took the opportunity to lean back and rest her aching muscles. "Very smart."

"Yeah, well, now you can't get her." Xander said, breathing heavily.

"Yes, but I can get you."

"Xander!" Vida cried as he raised his magi-staff and charged the Red Ranger.

"You have been found guilty!" The Red Ranger said in that horrible sing-songy voice. Than he was sucked into the small card she was holding.

"No!" Vida shrieked as she fought against the vines around her.

"One down one to go." The Red Ranger mumbled, tucking the card away.

"I don't think so!" The Blue Ranger cried, creating a burst of sparks as she connected her Magi-staff with the Red ranger's back.

"Sis!" Vida cried, hacking through the protective vines.

"Just hang on!" Maddie cried, as the Ranger turned on her, infuriated.

"Where's Red?" she taunted, swiping at Maddie with her sword.

"Maddie!" Nick cried jumping off the racer and running towards her and Vida. Maddie looked towards him, distracted, and the Red Ranger caught her with a sword stroke.

"No!" Vida yelled

"Maddie!" the cry was ripped from Nick's heart as she fell to the ground.

"Guilty." The Red Ranger said, sucking her into yet another small little card. Nick's sword came down; meeting with her's in a burst of sparks. They fought for seemingly hours until Vida finally freed herself, and ran towards the battle.

"I'm afraid I don't have time for you." The Red Ranger finally said, calmly initiating another small explosion in front of her, throwing both Vida and Nick back.

"If you want your friends back, go back to Rootcore. Dr. Tommy Oliver and many other rangers, both future and former, will want to talk to you. Meet me back here when you have them. I'll tell you the time and place you can fight for your loved ones." She snapped her fingers, disappearing through another transport spell.

"No!" Nick shouted, diving towards the purple seal, but he found only pavement.

"Maddie!" he cried again, slamming his fists against the concrete. He sat there for a moment, than out of the corner of his eye he saw Vida struggling to stand up.

"V." he called, getting up and walking over to her.

"She took Xander and my sister." Vida replied, sounding shocked. Nick helped her stand, supporting much of her weight. "We have to get back to Rootcore, and find this Tommy Oliver."

"And those other Rangers." Nick agreed, as they limped toward Nick's racer.

--

"Chip!" Vida cried when they walked into Rootcore, she stumbled toward where he was lying on the bed that Udonna set him on.

"Is he going to be all right?" Nick asked, gazing at his fallen friend.

"She has placed a spell on him." Udonna answered, gripping her husband's hand.

"It's a healing sleep, he will not wake for a few days." Leanbow looked at his son, "The spell was set even as she fought him, as he grew weaker and weaker."

"So what? She's saying 'so sorry I beat the crap out of you!?' She took Xander and Maddie!" Nick yelled, turning on his father.

"Your father is not making excuses for her," Daggeron intervened, "He was simply stating a fact."

"The fact is we may not have much time!" Vida snapped, whipping around to limp toward the Xenotome.

"What are you doing?" Clare asked, coming up beside her to help her up the stairs. Vida shrugged her off.

"Maybe the Xenotome will have something on Tommy Oliver." Vida replied, grimacing in pain.

"Doctor Oliver?" Udonna asked, "What does he have to do with anything?"

"The Red Ranger told us that he had something to do with this." Nick supplied

"Who's he?" Clare asked, blinking.

"Many call him the greatest power ranger of all." Udonna replied, walking toward the bookshelf and pulling out a dusty volume, she flipped it open, "He was the original Green Ranger, original White Ranger, the Red Zeo and Turbo Ranger, and the Black Dino Ranger."

"We have to find him." Vida said firmly, "He's the only lead we have."

"It says he's currently a teacher in Reefside." Udonna looked up, "A science teacher."

"Let's go visit the good Doctor." Nick said heading toward the red door with his broom.

"I'm with you there!" Vida replied following him.

"You are both very weak-" Udonna started, but Leanbow interrupted her with a look.

"Be careful." He said, putting his arm around the white sorceress.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

"There it is!" Nick cried, spying the city as they approached on their racers.

"We should stash our brooms and ferret him out as regular tourists." Vida yelled over the wind.

"Right." Nick replied steering toward the edge of the city closest to the high school.

"Ow!" Vida grumbled as they flipped off the racers and demorphed in a small alcove next to the school, catching the brooms as they fell.

"You okay?" Nick said, glancing around them. Vida nodded, pulling out her wand.

"Ed ihs moorb!" she chanted, pointing her wand at the brooms, they vanished instantly. "Let's go."

"School got out about an hour ago." Nick said glancing at his watch as they made their way toward the front doors.

"He'll still be there." Vida gritted her teeth.

"Office." Nick pointed, veering off to inquire as to the Doctor's location. Vida crossed her arms, impatiently waiting for him, glaring at the walls.

"This way." Nick said, exiting the office and heading determinedly down the hallway, Vida close behind him, trying not to limp.

"That's it." He murmured, pointing to the open door.

"Let's do this." Vida muttered, marching through the open door. There, sitting behind the teacher's desk was the greatest ranger of all time, staring at a picture, and wiping tears off of his face.

"Doctor?" Nick asked, as Vida stared.

"What can I do for you?" Tommy asked, standing up and rubbing his eyes, he tried to smile, "Sorry, I'm kind of a mess right now."

"Oh?" Vida replied, than her voice softened, "Kimberly's missing." The Doctor stiffened, his eyes suddenly guarded as Vida let out a short bark of laughter, "Oh Chip, how could I forget?"

"Who are you?"

"Chip knew all the names of the original rangers by heart," Vida told Nick with a small smile on her face, ignoring Tommy's question, "He always teased me about the green ranger and the pink ranger, Kimberly." Nick smiled sadly.

"We'll get him back." He told her.

"We'll get both of them back." Vida said firmly, glaring at Tommy Oliver, "We were told that you would want to talk to us. Now we know why. Your Pink Ranger's missing."

"Mystic Force…" Tommy guessed, trying to regain his leadership status. Nick nodded.

"What's left of it." Vida muttered.

"This morning we were attacked by a red ranger, she took two of our team-mates and put another into a deep healing sleep." Nick took a deep breath, "She told us that you, and the rangers of both past and future, would want to talk to us, and that we should bring you to the middle of Briarwood to meet her with instructions on where we were to fight for our loved ones." Tommy seemed to absorb this, than looked startled.

"She?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, now call your ranger friends, doc." Vida snapped, hands on her hips.

"We should bring him back to Rootcore." Nick argued, "Let him call them from there."

"I think-" Tommy broke off as his cell-phone rang, "Hello?" he answered, "Jason? Wait- slow down! Kat? How do you- no- I haven't checked. Yeah I just found out- She said what? Who?" his eyebrows shot together with an audible snap, "I'm here with them right now-no wait, I have a better idea, meet me in Briarwood at… uh…." He looked at Nick and Vida.

"The Rockporium." Vida supplied.

"The Rockporium. See you then." Tommy hung up and dialed another number. "Anton. Yeah, could you sub for me here at the school for a couple of days? Great! Yeah, you know another emergency. Thanks, bye." He slid his phone into his pocket.

"What happened?" Nick asked, concerned.

"That was Jason, the original red ranger." Tommy looked saddened, "He and Kat, the second pink ranger, just had a visit from your Red Ranger. She took Kat and ordered Jason to call me, saying that if he involved anyone else than she would kill her." He looked at Vida and Nick with suspicion, "She also told him to contact Mystic Force."

"We had nothing to do with this!" Vida snapped, but Nick tried to remain calm.

"Look, we couldn't very well beat ourselves up than hide our teammates, pull your name out of thin air even though we don't even know you, and than tell our red ranger friend to attack two other random ex-rangers."

"I know." Tommy sighed, "But that means we have no real leads as to who this ranger is."

"That's why we need to get back to Rootcore, see what my Mom has uncovered." Nick nodded toward the door.

"We can take my car." Tommy started, heading toward the door.

"No." Nick replied, stopping him, "Too slow. V, you go by tree, Tommy and I will take the racers."

"What?" Vida snapped, "He can't handle my racer by himself!"

"Vida you're hurt-"

"You can't use the pink racer without the pink ranger!" Vida snapped, storming out of the classroom.

"Pink rangers huh?" Tommy said grinning.

"I like blue rangers better." Nick admitted following the feisty sprite.

--

It went a long way to ease Vida's temper when she saw Tommy Oliver so opened-mouthed at the sight of the dragon's head that made up the entrance to Rootcore.

"What'd you have, a basement?" She taunted him as they walked through.

"At one point, yes." Tommy admitted, watching in amazement as the dragon mouth closed behind them.

"Mom? Dad!" Nick yelled as they entered the room, he walked over to where Chip lay, still sleeping. "Hang in there, Chip." He said quietly.

"Bowen!" Udonna said entering the room. "Your father and Daggeron are out training. Is this…?"

"I'm Dr. Tommy Oliver ma'am." Tommy said, extending a hand, they shook, "It's an amazing base you have here." Udonna inclined her head, every bit a powerful sorceress.

"I've heard great things about you." She said regally, "It will be good to have your help in finding our lost rangers."

"How many are missing?" Vida asked.

"Several names have appeared in the Xenotome." Udonna replied, walking up the stairs to the great book.

"Xenotome?"

"Book of magic, source of our powers, etc. etc." Vida waved him off, hobbling up to stand beside her, Nick close behind her. Tommy walked up slowly, feeling like his feet were made of lead.

"Sky Tate, the Red Ranger of SPD, power ranger of the future." Undonna read from the yellowed page, "Eric Meyers the Quantum Ranger of Time Force, Tori Hanson the Blue Wind Ranger of Ninja Storm, Dana Mitchell the Pink Ranger of Lightspeed Rescue, and Andros of KO-35 the Red Ranger of Space. Katherine Hillard the second Pink Ranger, and Kimberly Hart the original Pink Ranger were also taken." Tommy looked saddened as Udonna read the last two names.

"Udonna!" Clare ran in, just as she had in her apprenticing days, "Rangers!! The Red Ranger is outside fighting Leanbow and Daggeron!!" Nick paled and sprinted out, following his blonde cousin. Vida, Udonna, and Tommy were right behind them.

"Dad!" Nick yelled as the Wolf Knight was thrown back away from him.

"Leanbow!" Udonna said, running over to her husband. Daggeron landed beside them. The Red Ranger turned toward them. Nick didn't move, Tommy took up a defensive posture, and Vida looked as if she would charge the Red Ranger any second.

"I have a message." The Red Ranger said coldly, "Only the few I have selected may go on this mission, I have already contacted them, they will be at the Rockporium by dawn tomorrow." She cocked her helmeted head, "If anyone else beside those who I have already… 'talked' to help you, well!" she held up a small rectangular card. A fully morphed green mystic ranger threw himself against the walls of the card.

"V?" Xander's quiet Aussie accent carried easily through the silent woods, "Vida! Run! She's got-"

"I'll destroy them one by one." Red Ranger continued, tucking the card back into her pouch.

"You!" Vida screamed, limping toward the Red Ranger, but Clare grabbed her, stopping her. The Red Ranger burst out laughing, her hands on her hips.

"Even injured you'll try to fight me!" She wiped a pretend tear off her helmet, "The people chosen for this job!" She burst out laughing again, "Geez Tommy, I'd thought you would be the one charging at me, or maybe Nick!" she bent over, laughing far too hard to be natural.

"Where are Kimberly, and the others?" Tommy yelled, holding his temper down. The Red Ranger stopped laughing immediately.

"That's a dumb question, what did I just show you? I showed you earth-boy in a containment card. Put one and one together." She shook her head, "I don't think that's going to work girls." She turned to face the two pink rangers that had slowly approached her from behind. One had a heart shaped visor, the other had a strange looking police badge on her suit. The one with the badge stepped forward.

"Where's Sky?" she asked the Red Ranger, the ranger only laughed.

"Where's Sky? Where's Kimberly? Where's…" she mocked, than after a pause for drama, turned toward the second pink ranger, "Where's Wesley?" she continued.

"I swear, if you've hurt him…" the second pink ranger started forward, but the first one grabbed her by the arm.

"Oh he's safe right now." The Red Ranger walked away from the group, that way none of the rangers would be behind her back, she glanced at a small device that looked much like a watch on her arm, "In fact he's just **rockin'** out." She looked back at the enraged pink ranger, "I'd tell him 'hi' for you, only I don't think he'd be able to comprehend what I'm talking about."

"You witch!!" the pink ranger yelled, breaking the first one's grip on her and charging the Red Ranger.

"Guilty!" the Red Ranger cried as the others moved to back her up. The pink ranger lifted up her blaster to fire just as the Red Ranger held up another card, sucking her into it.

"Jen!!" the other pink ranger yelled, shocked.

"Hey!" Vida yelled as she and Nick morphed. Leanbow and Daggeron moved to stand beside them, ready to face the Red Ranger.

"Got to go! You know where to meet me!" The Red Ranger laughed turning toward the woods, "By the way, you have a couple of guests waiting at the Rockporium. Sorry to interrupt you again!" she walked away, disappearing with a blink of bright light.

"No!" Nick shouted, running forward, but meeting nothing, "Not again!"

"Sydney Drew??" Tommy asked, walking toward the remaining pink ranger.

"Do I know you?" Syd asked, demorphing to reveal a petite blonde.

"Not really." Tommy admitted, "You got sucked back in time to help the Dino Rangers, but I think Cruger mind-wiped you, along with my team. He just forgot about me."

"Cruger mentioned something like that when Jen picked me up." Syd admitted, holding out her hand and shaking Tommy's. The rangers demorphed.

"This is Nick and Vida, the red and pink rangers for Mystic Force." They shook hands and Nick picked up the introductions.

"This is Udonna the White Ranger, Leanbow the Wolf Warrior, and Daggeron the Solaris Knight." They shook hands as Syd nodded.

"And Clare, the Gatekeeper." Vida supplied, pulling the shy blonde from out from behind her. Syd nodded in greeting.

"I'm Sydney Drew from the future power ranger force of SPD." She rubbed her forehead as if tired, and Udonna quickly took over the situation..

"Bowen, why don't you and Tommy head to the Rockporium while we tend to Vida's ankle and settle Syd in." She said, as Nick nodded.

"Right, let's go-" he stopped in mid-walk, "We can't go by tree, you don't know what the tree in front of the Rockporium looks like. We'll have to walk to where we keep the bikes and ride into town that way." But Udonna shook her head.

"It's getting close to nightfall, we must get whoever is at the Rockporium back here before night descends on the forest, it might not be safe." She looked at Nick, "I know you're tired, but take the racer, than drive back in Vida's jeep."

"The keys are in my locker at work." Vida supplied, following Udonna into Rootcore.

"Let's go." Nick sighed, summoning his racer.

--

"Nick!" Tony cried as he and Tommy walked into the store, "You're back!!" He gave the ranger a quick hug and lowered his voice, "Thank goodness, there are some people here asking about the power rangers, we haven't told them anything, but I think you should handle it." He looked suddenly weary, "I heard about Xander and Maddie, tell Vida to take as much time off as she wants."

"Thanks Tony." Nick said, looking as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. Tony pointed out where the two tourists where, and gave Nick a pat on the shoulder.

"I'm sure Maddie's fine." He said before walking off.

"You'll have to tell me the whole story of what happened when we get back to base." Tommy said as they walked toward the tourists. Nick nodded, as Tommy suddenly froze, shocked, as he gazed at one of the two people Tony had been talking about.

"Wes?" he glanced at Nick, "Wesley Collins?"

"Tommy." Wes acknowledged as he and the women beside him stood up to greet him, "I should've known you'd be here." He gestured at the tough looking blonde; "This is Taylor Earhardt of-" he broke off with a glace at Nick.

"I'm from Mystic Force." Nick said, after Tommy gave a slight nod, "Red Ranger Nick."

"Wesley Collins, Red Ranger of Time Force," Wes shook Nick's hand, "Taylor's the Yellow Ranger of Wild Force."

"Wesley as in that Pink Ranger's Wesley?" Nick asked Tommy, quickly putting the two together.

"Jen? You've seen Jen?" Wes's face brightened with hope, "There was this Red Ranger who told me she'd captured her… is she here?" he looked around, searching.

"We should get back to base." Tommy said, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"What happened to Jen?" Taylor interrupted, looking deadly.

"She and Syd, another pink ranger from a different time, just arrived at Rootcore, our home base, when they found us being attacked by the Red Ranger. She gave us the impression, and it sounded like she had told Jen, that you were captured." Nick nodded toward Wes, "Jen got angry and moved to attack her, but she was captured before we even had a chance to react."

"She really is gone…" Wes looked incredibly sad.

"Did she say anything about Eric?" Taylor asked anxiously. Tommy shook his head.

"We need to get you two to Rootcore right away," he said, looking at Nick.

"I'll get the keys. We'll have to use the brooms once we get to the forest."

"Let's go then."

--

"I remember studying Tommy and the rest of you." Syd said, leaning back in the chair and crossing her legs, "But all the research that SPD has conducted so far has come up with nothing on this new Red Ranger."

"Yeah? What's the future hold for us?" Vida asked, leaning forward, "Ow!"

"You must hold still if you want this to heal properly." Udonna chastised as she sprinkled her healing potion on the Pink Ranger's foot. Vida glared back, crossing her arms impatiently.

"I like the future." Syd said carefully avoiding the question, "My friends and family are, obviously, all there. Except for… except for Sky." She put on a brave face.

"Yeah, but what about what happens to us?" Vida gestured at the group gathered around the room. Daggeron and Leanbow were flipping through the Xenotome, while Clare continued stirring the potion that she and Udonna had made for Vida's ankle, and any other injuries that might come along.

"I can't tell you that." Syd looked a little sheepish, "Jen gave me specific orders that if I was going to accompany her into the future to meet all of you, than I couldn't say anything about what happens to you in the future." She looked a little uncomfortable, "Last time I met people from the past we had to do brain wipes."

"Brain wipes??" Vida yelped, "Let's not go there."

"So who is this Sky?" Udonna asked, finished with Vida's foot.

"Red Ranger Schuyler Tate." Syd declared proudly, than her face fell, "The current Red Ranger of B-squad, which is us. Or will be, in the future."

"The future?" Clare wrinkled her nose, "She captured a Red Ranger from the future?"

"Right in the middle of the command center too." Syd played with her hair, "We still don't know how she got in, or anything."

"Is he cute?" Vida asked with a knowing smile.

"Sky? Cute?" Syd giggled, "I've known him since before B-squad!"

"But you have feelings for him?" Udonna said, all-knowingly.

"I… I-uh- I mean… Of course not!" she looked around uncomfortably, "he's hard-headed and only cares about work!"

"I see." Udonna replied kindly.

"What's taking the others so long?" Syd cried, standing up impatiently, "We need to formulate a plan!"

"They're just about here." Leanbow said, walking over to join them.

"Udonna, the Xenotome…" Daggeron looked at her meaningfully.

"Yes, I know." The White Sorceress looked suddenly tired, "I read it."

"What's going on?" Vida said, standing.

"We can have no part in you mission, it is one the Xenotome has foretold must be done alone, with only those chosen present." Daggeron looked pained.

"We are forced to sit on the sidelines." Leanbow growled, his wife put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him, when they heard voices from outside.

"I could've driven one by myself!" A female voice snapped out.

"I know, but Nick said it was faster to just take two, and Tommy knew how to handle it! Sorry!" a male voice replied.

"Jeez." Nick groaned as the small group walked in, "It's been like this the whole way!"

"Taylor!" Tommy whirled around to face the blonde women with the fierce eagle eyes, "Stop arguing! Just think of Eric!"

"I…" she broke off, putting her head on the other man's shoulder, "I'm sorry Wes, I just can't help it."

"I know." Wes said soothingly.

"Syd." Tommy acknowledged, "Why don't we start off with what happened to you first." Syd nodded.

"We were in the middle of a debriefing. Sky was describing the situation of this chain burglary that was taking place. He had his serious face on, so we knew it the robberies were bad. He told us to get in touch with Jack and Piggy, they might have information, when he suddenly stopped, and looked behind us. This Red Ranger was just leaning against the door, looking like she owned the place." Syd paused, closing her eyes, "Sky asked her what did she think she was doing etc. when she just attacked." She opened her eyes again, "She took all of us out pretty easily, we weren't expecting it…"

...

"_Syd!" Sky yelled as she took a kick to the stomach and buckled._

"_Sk-" Syd gasped for breath as the Red Ranger knocked Z and Bridge out of the room and sealed the door._

"_I don't think so!" Sky growled, facing off with the rouge ranger._

"_Sky watch out!" Syd yelled as the ranger pulled out a blaster. Sky created a shield as she shot._

"_Sky!" Syd yelled, struggling to stand, the door behind them was slowly being forced open, but the ranger was faster than the SPD Red Ranger, using one of the control panels to kick herself off to land behind Sky._

"_No!" Syd yelled, running over, but the aisle between the control table and the computers was too narrow, and Sky's shield was still active. She bounced off the blue barrier just as the Red Ranger grabbed the shocked Sky by the shoulders._

_"You!" the Red Ranger yelled, head butting him and knocking him out cold._

_"Sky!" Syd yelled, rushing forward._

_"You are guilty!" the Red Ranger continued, sucking Sky into a containment card. Syd briefly wondered where she had gotten one of those, before she charged at the ranger who had Sky._

...

"Needless to say, it was a battle I didn't win, even with my ability." Syd looked close to tears, "She went right out, just as Bridge and Z got the doors opened. It was like she knew exactly when to get the job done, because she knew when they'd get those doors unjammed. Bridge read her aura and found-"

"Wait, he read her aura?" Taylor interrupted.

"Yeah." Syd said giving her an 'duh' look. "What else would he read?"

"Syd you have to remember that none of us actually know very much about your teams special abilities." Tommy mediated before Taylor could say anything.

"Does this have to do with that shield thing she was talking about Sky putting up?" Vida asked.

"Five of us, actually six of us including Sam, were born with these special powers, it's a long story about how they came to be. Anyway, Sky waves his arm like this," She demonstrated, "and can create a little shield. Z can duplicate herself and Bridge can read minds, well kind of, and read auras." She pulled a chunk of metal from her pocket uniform, "I can make my hand into whatever substance I'm touching." Her fist turned into the grey metal, than back to normal. "Anyway, Bridge read her aura and was confused."

"Because he couldn't?" Tommy hypothesized.

"No," Nick reasoned, "Because it was _good_."

"I was totally going to say that." Syd mumbled as the tension rose.

"What?" Vida yelled, pointing at Chip, "The person who did that to our friend is a good guy?"

"V, she put him in a healing spell, I don't think she wanted to hurt him as much as she did." Nick argued, standing in front of her.

"Maybe you should explain what happened to you next." Wes said calmly, "I mean, healing spell? As in magic?"

"Time-ship? As in time-travel?" Taylor mocked, grinning at him, "the world's full of surprises."

"So says the yellow eagle." Wes retorted good-naturedly.

"Mystic Force?" Tommy said pointedly.

"Go ahead V," Nick looked upset, "You were there for all of it." Vida nodded, and began.

"We got a call from Udonna that there was trouble, so as usual we headed over. We figured it was a leftover goon of the Master, something routine that we could handle without Nick, who had just called us to tell us he was back. She was just standing there when we showed up, than she took out her gun and blasted us." Vida shook her head, "She was an amazing fighter. We were all beat pretty quickly. I think Chip got a little frustrated, so he called down a thunderbolt. It would've been a great move except she somehow switched places with Maddie, Xander, and I so we got hit instead. She took Chip one-on-one, and obviously beat him up pretty badly then sent him back to Rootcore." She nodded for Nick to take over.

"She had put a healing spell on him, so he could hardly stay awake to tell me that she wanted something, before he collapsed." Nick looked at Vida, "I went to go help but… there was an explosion."

"Maddie got knocked back into the woods or something, either way she got thrown away from us. She was literally floating in the air, than she sent a hurricane at me. Xander thought fast and spelled a vine-cage around me. I was pretty happy to have a minute to relax, but than she went after Xander." Vida swallowed, hard, "She captured him in a little card," She turned to Syd, " You called it a containment card? Explain later. I was trapped in Xander's protective cage, but while she was distracted Maddie came up and hit her in the back." Vida gazed at the ground, "It was the first real hit that any of us had gotten in that seemed to actually hurt her. I was still trying to get free while she and Maddie were fighting when Nick showed up…" she looked pained.

"Right when I got there, Maddie took a hit…" Nick's voice cracked a bit, "So she got Maddie too. I fought with her for a little while, but…"

"I got free and she told us she was bored, and caused another explosion." Vida gazed at Chip, "That's our sob story, who's next?" she clearly didn't want to talk about it any more. The other rangers exchanged glances.

"It's basically the same story for us." Wes swallowed, glancing at Taylor, she looked away, "She showed up, took out the Silver Guardians, than Eric and I. I took a pretty hard hit, and Eric went to fight her. Just like with you guys, there was an explosion…"

...

_"Eric!!" Wes yelled from his place on the ground. The explosion was huge, and when the smoke cleared Wes saw his friend lying on the ground, unmoving. He struggled to stand, smoke still clouding his vision. "Eric!!" he called. Suddenly the Red ranger flew through the air kicking at him, he tried to block the kicks, but they came too quickly. He hit the ground again._

_"Captain." The Red Ranger acknowledged before walking over to his unmoving friend. Wes, struggled to stand, but he was just too weak._

_"Hmmm." He heard the Red Ranger say, than he watched in horror as she sucked him into a small card she was holding._

_"Eric!! No!" Wes cried, pounding the ground in frustration, suddenly two hands were there to help him up._

_"Wes, you okay?"_

_"Taylor?" Wes gazed at the yellow-clad blonde._

_"Eric?" She looked frantically around._

_"She has him." He clutched at his ribs._

_"Taylor! I didn't think you'd make it." The Red Ranger, put a hand on her hip, holding up the card showing a small red figure in the middle, "You're kinda late though I won't lie to you."_

_"You!" Taylor fumed._

_"Here, a gift from me to you." She tossed Taylor a small cell phone; "It'll help you get both Eric and Jen back."_

_"Jen? What about Jen?" Wes shouted as she walked away. She slowly turned around to stare at him._

...

"She told us to come here to find out what had happened to her. We left as soon as we could." Wes glanced over at Taylor.

"I got a call to find Eric, that he was in trouble." Taylor admitted, "I can morph again, she gave me my morpher fully powered."

"She wanted to give you a fighting chance." Tommy reasoned, he looked at Syd, who was yawning, "About these containment cards-"

"You can hear about them later." Udonna interrupted, "Today has been a rough day. Clare, help me show our guests their rooms." And with that the meeting was adjourned.

--

A/N if you have any suggestions or guesses, on who the Red Ranger should be, let me know, that's the only part of the story that's not finished. I'll keep updating if you keep reviewing!


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

"V! Let's go!" Nick yelled into the interior of Rootcore. He was extremely anxious to find the other rangers that were supposed to help them find Maddie and Xander. "VIDA!" he bellowed.

"I'm coming, geez!" Vida yelled back as she stomped through the tunnel. "Why are we the only ones going this early?"

"Well for one thing we work, and for another I want to get there before any rangers show up and start asking questions." Nick looked at her pointedly, "Remember if anyone else gets involved…" he swallowed, emotion choking him, "She'll kill them V. She'll kill Maddie and Xander, and all the rest."

"Yeah but I think the rest of them should have to get up too." Vida pouted, "Yeah yeah I know, we work there and they'll come along later." She gestured toward the tunnel leading toward the forest, "Let's go."

--

--

"Please let us go!" Tori cried through the bars of the prison at the ranger in red that stood beyond the bars in the darkness.

"Where's Maddie?" Xander yelled, hurling himself at the bars, "You better not have done anything to her."

"If any rangers are hurt, you will pay." Jen growled, glaring at her from behind Tori.

"How did you get a hold of that technology?" Sky looked serious, "Did you infiltrate SPD headquarters?"

"Please, Andros needs medical attention!" Dana cried, gesturing at the Red Ranger lying on the ground.

"What do you want from us?" Eric shouted, breaking through everyone's chatter. The Red Ranger cleared her throat.

"First, no I will not be letting you go anytime soon." She seemed to have an amused tone to her voice, "Second, Maddie will be along shortly." She seemed to be staring at each different ranger as she answered their questions, "Third, don't threaten me. Fourth, I stole it, and yes I infiltrated SPD headquarters. Fifth, he's fine and you're a doctor so that's medical attention. Sixth, I don't want anything from you at the moment." She looked toward the back of the cell, "Do you have any questions pink rangers?" Kimberly stood from where she knelt beside Kat.

"Why? Why would you do this?" her voice cracked.

"I'm tired, just sick and tired of all you rangers." Her fists clenched, "It's time to settle this and stop beating around the bush."

"What have we done to you?" Kim cried, "If anything we're sick of you!" she stood up, defiantly, "You kidnapped us! If you want to be a Ranger, fight like one! Take us on, I dare you!" the Red Ranger seemed to consider this.

"Yes, that would work." She muttered, "Fine. I'll take you on one by one in exactly one hour. Andros will be healed, and Maddie returned to you." She snapped her fingers, and the Blue Mystic Ranger was dragged in.

"Maddie!" Xander cried as they tossed her through the bars. That was the curse of their prison, the bars were holographic one way, but solid the other. Xander caught her as she fell, "Maddie! Maddie, c'mon, wake up!" he shook her lightly, and her eyes fluttered open just as Andros's did.

"Xander?" she whispered, blinking. He helped her to sit up.

"Thank god, I thought I was going have to face Vida and Nick's wrath." Xander grinned at her.

"What's going on Xander?" Maddie asked him, looking wildly around at all the different rangers, "Vida… Nick?"

"Introductions would be nice." Andros groaned, rubbing his head as Dana helped him to sit up.

"Wait, Vida and Nick?" Jen's brow furrowed, "I ran into a Vida and Nick before I was captured."

"You were there when I was in the card!" Xander cried, he swallowed, carefully hiding the guilt that he felt, "Who was the other ranger with you?"

"Were they okay?" Maddie said at the same time.

"Vida?" Jen asked as Maddie and Xander nodded. Xander swallowed, "She was hurt, but she was still going to fight, Nick looked fine. I was with Sydney Drew, the Pink Ranger of SPD." She glanced over at Sky, "Dr. Thomas Oliver was there too."

"Tommy?" Kimberly blurted, before snapping her mouth shut. Jen nodded.

"Syd was with you?" Sky interrupted before Jen could say anything, "What was she doing there?"

"I was instructed by our 'friend', to go and pick her up from your time. Syd told me that you had been captured using SPD technology that was stolen." Jen's face softened, "She was really worried about you."

"She should have the rest of the squad with her! What is she thinking?!" Sky yelled, his fingers closing into fists.

"Hey!" Jen protested, turning to glare at him, "That Red Ranger told her that if anyone else came with us, all of the rangers she had would die. The order came down from…" Jen looked flustered for a moment, "What's his name…. Cruger. It came directly from him that we were to go alone as the Ranger specified."

"Cruger sent the order?" Sky's face arranged itself into the emotionless mask that he normally wore, "Oh."

"Oh?" Tori looked shocked, "Dude, it's completely obvious that you like her."

"What?" Sky let out a bark of laughter, "That's ridicules."

"There's nothing wrong with having feelings for someone on your team." Eric supplied, passing a meaningful look with Jen.

"Developing feelings for a teammate is perfectly normal, you are in extreme circumstances, and you are together a lot." Dana pointed out.

"Look, Syd's a great ranger, and a great person. But- I… I mean." Sky clasped his hands behind his back, "It's not like that between us, we're just friends."

"That doesn't mean that it can't be something more." Maddie said softly. Tori nudged Jen.

"You were all she talked about." Jen blurted out, smiling slightly.

"Guys, leave him alone." Andros scooted back against the wall, gazing out into the darkness beyond the cell.

"Andros…" Jen muttered, than she snapped her fingers, "Of course! Andros can't you use your telekinesis to get us out of here?"

"That's right!" Sky turned to Tori, "the Red Space Ranger had telekinesis! I completely forgot!"

"Being as I'm not from the future, maybe we should have those introductions now." Tori said.

"If you keep talking, make them think nothing's wrong, I can defiantly try to break us out." Andros agreed.

"If you can get us out, wouldn't that explain why she wanted you out of the picture?" Katherine asked quietly.

"That would make sense." Kimberly agreed, "But than why did she want Maddie?"

"Intros first, than conspiracy theories." Tori begged.

"Right. I'll go first. I'm Dana from Lightspeed Rescue."

--

--

"Just tell me where Mystic Force is!" Carter yelled, slamming his hands on the counter. Toby stepped away from his cashier counter.

"I told you I don't know what you're talking about!" Toby repeated, starting to sweat.

"Hey!" A young man with black hair ran up, "What seems to be the problem?"

"It's nothing." Carter growled glaring at Toby.

"Right." The man looked doubtful, but shrugged it off, "Maybe you can help me." Toby brightened.

"Sure!"

"Where can I find Mystic Force?" the young man asked, grinning at Carter.

"Ahg!" Toby groaned as Carter stiffened.

"What do you-" he began, when Toby suddenly let out a huge gasp.

"Nick! Thank god!" He dragged Nick over and thrust him at the two men.

"Uh… hi?" Nick mumbled, glancing back at Vida. She walked forward.

"Rangers, why are you torturing Toby?!" she snapped, patting Toby absently on the arm, "We've got this." Toby looked, awed at the two men, and then scurried back to spy on them from his office.

"How did you know I was a ranger?" Carter asked, standing straighter.

"Dude, you scream red ranger." The other man said, leaning against the counter and glancing at one of the records.

"Where's Dana?" Carter asked hurriedly, ignoring the younger man.

"Let me guess." Vida drawled, "Did you get visited by the Red Ranger too?' the other young man stiffened, as Carter relaxed slightly.

"Mystic Force, I was told to come see you." Sadness slowly seeped into his facial features, "She…"

"She took Dana." Nick guessed, "Why don't we sit down and you can tell us your story, the others will be here in a little while."

"Others?" the other man asked

"Yeah." Vida stiffened, "Who are you?"

"Blake Bradley, Navy Thunder Ranger."

"The motocross star!" Nick blurted, before comprehension dawned on him. "Who'd-"

"Tori." Blake's voice cracked, "She just… took her."

"Carter, from Lightspeed Rescue." Carter supplied, as the four made their way toward the couches in the middle of the room.

"Nick." Toby motioned for him to come over, "Is this about Maddie and Xander?"

"The person who took Maddie and Xander… she took some other people too." Nick gazed at the floor, "We're going to get them all back."

"No, I know you will!" Toby said excitedly, "So, you're using the store for.. uh… ranger business?"

"I'm sorry Toby," Nick glanced back at the door, "It's just that this is where she told everyone to meet."

"And she holds the cards." Toby looked thoughtful.

"Yeah, literally." Nick mumbled, spotting a group of people falling out of the tree outside the store.

"Nick." Toby seemed serious for once; "I think we can close the store for today."

"Toby-"

"No, listen to me." He grabbed Nick by the shoulders, "This whole thing is killing you and Vida. Don't try to lie to me, neither of you got any sleep, and now you have to lead all these rangers to get their loved ones back. This can be your downtown base, and we wouldn't want any spies getting in now would we?" Nick jumped, as Tommy, Syd, Wes, and Taylor walked in.

"What did you just say?" Nick yelled, Toby blinked.

"Spies! She probably has them planted everywhere." He gestured around the store.

"No the part about leading a group of rangers…"

"Leading a group of rangers to get their loved ones back?" Toby repeated, looking confused, "I just assumed…."

"Yeah." Nick bit his lip, "Thanks Toby."

"No problem." He turned toward the door as Tommy and the others were introduced to Carter and Blake, "The store is now closed!!" he grabbed his hat and walked out the door.

"V!" Nick turned, staring at his friend, "I got it."

"What are you talking about?" Vida asked, as the group of rangers quieted down.

"Syd, do you love Sky?"

"What?" the pink ranger looked uncomfortable, "Why would you ask that?"

"Because I know that I have feelings Maddie." Nick declared, "and Xander likes Vida."

"He does?" Vida cried, "Sorry sorry, continue."

"I love Jen, but what does that have to do with anything?" Wes asked, gazing at the Red Mystic Ranger.

"All you are either in a relationship, denial, discovery, whatever you want to call what you feel for the teammate that the Red Ranger stole from you." Nick declared.

"Oh god…" Taylor gasped, "She found the one thing that could really break us…"

"Love." Tommy finally said, looking up from staring at the ground.

--

--

"I think I almost got it." Andros gasped, pushing aside the huge vines and shrubbery with his mind, trying to find the release mechanism.

"Andros, someone's coming." Kimberly whispered, Andros quickly released the vines as Sky and Xander moved to stand in front of the exhausted Space ranger.

"Ready to go?" the Red Ranger asked, stepping out into the light.

"Go where?" Jen asked, glaring at her.

"Humph." She crossed her arms, revealing an intricate design on her wrist guards, "You were the ones who challenged me. I'd assume you'd like to keep the event."

"I'm so ready for this." Eric said, cracking his knuckles.

"Are you?" the Ranger replied, raising her arms. The air blurred about them as they found themselves inside a desert arena, their cage gone.

"You leave the arena you die. I'll fight one on one, four times. Pick your four champions." She seemed to be smiling beneath her helmet, "I'll even let your champions morph." The Rangers huddled together, talking softly.

"Jen." Sky turned to her, "I'd say that since we're from the future, we'd be the best people to pick who goes, and who doesn't."

"Because we've studied everyone." Jen smiled sheepishly, "I actually used to argue with the guys over who was the best power ranger."

"Same here." Sky smiled, than he frowned, "Anyway, Andros, Maddie, and Kat are out."

"What?" Andros glared at him. "Why?"

"You're all drained or hurt." Jen explained, Xander nodded.

"I'm putting myself out of the running." Dana said honestly, "I've always preferred medical to physical."

"We might need that." Maddie agreed.

"I'll vote for Tori." Kim spoke up.

"Me?" The Blue Ranger squeaked.

"You _are_ a ninja." Kim shrugged.

"So are you!" Tori pointed out.

"Two girls two guys." Jen nodded, "Works for me."

"Eric and Sky should be the guys." Xander said after a moment, he looked slightly uncomfortable.

"I'm better equipped than hand to hand." Sky shook his head, "With Gruumm gone, most of the fighting we've done is pretty cushy, and most delinquents will balk at any weapon we pull. Makes our job pretty easy, but as a result, I'm sloppy." He turned back to Xander, "You and Eric will have to do it."

"Good." The Red Ranger piped up, "I'm so tired of waiting for you to make a decision. Unfortunately you made the wrong choice." Kat stiffened.

"What do you mean?"

"Simple." She gestured and at Xander, Eric, Kim, and Tori as their morphers appeared. "Once I beat them, the rest of you will probably rush me anyway, just to get free. Since you've put your four strongest in armor, that leaves your weakest rangers the most vulnerable to my magic."

"I'd say, we should rush you now then." Eric growled, "A group attack if you think we have so little of a chance."

"Fine with me." The Red Ranger replied, bringing up her hands as Tori, Kim, Xander, and Eric morphed. "Bring it on, you'll never be ready to face me."


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 4

"Tommy!" Jason called as Nick let him and Ashley, the Yellow Space Ranger, into the store, "What the hell is going on?"

"Jason, every single ranger here," he gestured at the rangers behind him, "has a loved one that's missing."

"You mean like… you and Kim love or family type love?" Jason asked, gazing at the other rangers. Tommy swallowed.

"Kimberly and I type love." Tommy looked pained.

"I'm sorry about Kim." Jason said quietly.

"We'll get her." Tommy said determinedly, "Jase, meet the rescue team." He turned toward the other rangers, introducing each one.

"How many are missing?" Jason asked, after shaking Nick's hand and resisting the urge to call him a newbie (he had after all defeated his 'big bad').

"Ten." Tommy admitted, "Including Kim and Kat."

"Jeez. Okay, so I vote we start out by-" Jason broke off as Nick's phone went off.

"Just a second." Nick flipped out his phone, setting it on speaker, "What's up?"

"I'm glad everyone has arrived." The Red Ranger's voice soaked through the tiny speakers, "Are you ready to begin?"

"Where are you?" Nick asked, his temper flaring.

"The Titans first battled here, and first joined together here." She sounded amused, "or at least _above_ where I am currently located."

"I know where that is." Vida mouthed.

"You should know this isn't going to end up well for you." Nick reasoned, "We are going to defeat you. We've all defeated harder _monsters_ than you."

"I'm a monster?" she laughed, "Naturally. It's how I fit into this spandex armor so easily! I would hurry if I were you Rangers." You could hear the sudden threat in her voice, "Your friends are quite feisty. I'm afraid I had to put some of them down."

"What have you done to them?" Taylor yelled, before Wes held her back.

"Oooh! Is that Taylor I hear? Don't worry. I took special care of Eric. Oh and don't worry Vida, Xander should live. Although I'm a little concerned about the Blue Wind Ranger." Blake turned red, "And, oh what was his name. Andy? Andorm?"

"Andros." Ashley was pale, "His name is Andros."

"Oh that's right, that _was_ his name." there was a slight noise in the background, before she continued, "Jen in particular refused to give up, she and Sky fought until the end. Tori and Kim worked very well together I was impressed. Dana tried to protect Kat, but I have to say Jason, she didn't last very long. Neither of them did."

"What about Maddie?" Nick blurted out.

"What about her?" the voice sounded bored now, "She's still breathing, I think. Come to think of it I should probably check on that, I could be lying to you."

"If you've hurt them in any way-" Vida began

"Wow is that threat getting old." The Ranger paused, "Want to carry through on it? Find me, find your _friends_."

"We know why you took them." Wes challenged, "We figured it out."

"Then you know how much it will hurt if I kill them. As it is every blow that they've gotten, you'll feel ten times worse because you failed to protect them."

"If you know how cruel this is then why are you doing it?" Syd snapped, her fists clenched, "You're not a bad person, Bridge read your aura, and you could have killed the Yellow Mystic Ranger but instead you're healing him." She looked at Nick and Vida for conformation, "That has to be draining your energy."

"And you couldn't be a ranger if you didn't have some good in you." Ashley cried, "I don't understand-"

"Stop analyzing me!" the Ranger snapped, there was a brief pause, "You don't need to be good to be a ranger, all you need is a morpher. Be here or they die." There was a click, and Nick shut the phone.

"Let's do this." Taylor growled, "I'm so ready to inflict some damage.

"We can't rush into this." Tommy reminded.

"We have to move fast." Jason countered, "That ranger means business. Nick did you record that conversation?"

"No, I didn't think about it." Nick cocked his head, "Why do you ask?"

"You were thinking about the part where she was talking about Andros?" Ashley asked Jason, the Red Ranger nodded his head.

"There was a noise."

"It was water." Blake said, crossing his arms, "There was a splash."

"Are you sure?" Carter asked, "I could hardly even hear it."

"I'm trained to tune out all unneeded thoughts and noises." Blake smiled, "All ninjas have excellent hearing."

"Why couldn't you hear it?" Jason asked Tommy, "You had ninja powers."

"Yeah, but we never had ninja training." Tommy admitted.

"Let's go!" Taylor whined, "She's threatening death and we're still here talking about ninja training!"

"The lake." Nick looked at Vida, "V, the cliff where we all first came together is right next to the lake."

"Maddie swam in it as the Mystic Mermaid, it's pretty deep." Vida nodded, "Half of us should check out the lake and the other half the cliff."

"Split the team." Carter nodded, "You two know the area the best, you should choose the teams."

"Syd, Jason, Taylor, and Carter should go with Nick to the cliffs." Vida said, "They would do the best on dry ground."

"Blake, Tommy, Ashley, and Wes are with you." Nick nodded, "Sound's good."

"We explore the area, and find the tunnels." Tommy agreed, "Assuming that there is more than one."

"Keep in touch via our morphers." Syd looked at Taylor.

"Great," Taylor started towards the door, "Let's go already!"

--

"Nick! I found a tunnel!" Carter yelled, brushing aside the moss that disguised the trapdoor on the forest floor.

"Jason, over here!" Nick called as Syd ran over to help Carter lift up the heavy trapdoor. He moved to walk over.

"Syd! Carter! Watch out!" Taylor yelled as the forest began to howl, the area surrounding them seemed to erupt into a windstorm, with the epicenter right where Carter and Syd were kneeling.

"Nick grab on!" Jason yelled, reaching a hand out to the struggling Mystic Red Ranger. He and Taylor had grabbed onto a tree as they were pulled towards the trapdoor. Nick grabbed his hand as Jason strained to hold onto the tree, with Taylor pressed against the bark.

"Got you!" Jason cried as Nick reached the trunk. The wind abruptly died down, leaving the bewildered rangers alone in the forest.

"Jeez!" Taylor breathed, releasing the helpful tree.

"Where did that come from?" Jason asked, looking around the peaceful forest.

"Carter and Syd!" Nick yelled, running over to where he had seen them last. There was no Red or Pink ranger, and the trapdoor they had found was gone.

"Carter!" Taylor called, "Syd?" she looked back at where Nick was frantically searching in the moss, "Did they get blown away?"

"Probably got sucked down into the tunnel." Jason said as Taylor walked over to join Nick and Jason. Jason pulled out his morpher, "Tommy? You there Tommy?"

"Jason!" Tommy's voice sounded strained through the static, "We've been hit by a flash storm or something. Ashley, Wes, and Vida have disappeared. I don't know how much longer we can last!"

"Vida's gone?" Nick stood up, he and Taylor moving closer to Jason's morpher to hear Tommy's fading voice.

"I get the feeling we're next Jase! I think she's got us!"

"Don't talk like that Tommy." Jason's deep voice was determined, "We have to save Kim and Kat, remember?"

"Wait, I think the weather's dying down…"

"Okay, we should regroup." Jason began, then he looked at Taylor and Nick, "Did you feel that?"

"Feel wha-" the ground opened up below them, and Nick, Jason, and Taylor fell down into the tunnel. They were completely at the Red Ranger's mercy. Seconds later, frantically calling for Jason, Tommy and Blake were also sucked into the earth.

--

"Oof!" Nick grunted as he rolled down the dark damp tunnel. He landed with a wet smack on the damp dirt floor. He rubbed his neck and glanced around him, he was in a dank mossy prison shrouded in darkness. He blinked trying to get adjusted to the blackness surrounding him. Only half of the cage was lit, the other half was shrouded in a black cloak making it impossible to see just how big the prison was. His morpher was gone, he'd felt something grab it when he was falling. He got up slowly, feeling a tingle in his spine. Someone else was in here with him.

"Jason? Taylor?" he called, "Blake? Vida? Tommy?" he heard a rustling sound, "Who's there?" he cocked his head, listening for the slightest movement. There was a sniffling sound, causing Nick to become more confused, "Who's there?!" he asked again, his fists tightened, his blood heated, expecting someone to jump him any second.

"N…Nick?" A small voice whispered in the darkness.

"Maddie!" Nick cried, running forward, the blackness lightened, revealing the Blue Mystic Ranger curled up against the bars of the prison. Nick suppressed his anger as he saw the cuts on her fists and face. She had been in a fight, and she had lost.

"Is it really you?" Maddie whispered, her hands reaching blindly to find him.

"It's me Maddie." Nick's voice cracked as he carefully took her hands in his, and led them to his face. She felt his face, and her pale eyes lit up in happiness.

"It's really you…" she whispered, then he grabbed her in a hug as if he'd never let go.

"I'm sorry Maddie, I'm so sorry." He whispered into her hair.

"For what?" Maddie asked, staring blankly at the wall to the side of him.

"If I didn't-." Nick started before Madison cut him off.

"It's not your fault." She said quickly, taking his hand.

"Maddie." He said softly, rubbing her hands, "You're blind."

"I… I know."

"Tell me everything that's happened since you got caught." Nick sat beside her, wrapping his arms around her in an attempt to warm the freezing ranger.

"Okay, here goes." She took a deep breath, "When she let me out of the card, I fought her and her goons. I got beat pretty badly, and then they dragged me back to a huge cell with everyone else. The bars were spelled so anything could get in, but they were solid the other way. Andros was working on breaking us out, but she came back to taunt us or something. Then Kimberly told the Red Ranger that if she was really a ranger, then she would fight like one and challenged her to fight us. She accepted, and told us to pick four of us to fight." She closed her eyes, remembering, "We chose Kim, Tori, Xander, and Eric. She gave them their morphers, and then laughed at us saying since we all wanted our freedom, we would all end up rushing her anyway and how we should've given the morphers to the weakest."

"She beat all of you?" Nick asked, amazed.

"She used a mixture of magic and speed to take us all out. Tori and Kim lasted the longest with their ninja speed. She cast a couple of powerful spells. The one that caught me was a blinding spell. It caught some other people too. Andros was beside me at the time, so I think he got hit. There's a counter-spell but… I didn't have my wand…"

"How badly did she hurt you?" Nick's voice was dark, promising revenge.

"After that since I couldn't see… everyone was screaming… there were explosions… it was practically a massacre. I remember Xander yelling, then I must've gotten hit with something because next thing I knew I was here." Maddie laid her head on Nick's shoulder. "I'm scared of what happened to the others. I just don't understand why she took us."

"We may have figured that out." Nick murmured rubbing her cold shoulder, he took a deep breath, "She only took the rangers that have feelings for each other."

"What do you mean?" Madison asked, sitting up.

"Maddie," Nick tucked her hair behind her head, "Wes loves Jen, Tommy loves Kim, Syd's in denial about her feelings for Sky, Blake clearly has feelings for Tori though he hasn't said anything. Vida and Xander are crazy about each other though they won't admit it yet. Taylor's scared out of her wits because she just discovered how much she loves Eric. Jason was really upset over Katherine being taken so he must have feelings for her. Ashley loves Andros, the pieces all fit together!"

"What about us?" Madison whispered.

"That day I left?" Nick swallowed, "You wanted me to come back for you." Madison nodded in agreement, clearly nervous, "I came back for you Maddie, and next thing I knew you were taken from me before I even had a chance to tell you."

"Nick…"

"I like you a lot Maddie, and I think it could defiantly be more than that, in fact I know it is." Nick watched as Madison's face lit up and she laughed.

"I feel the same way." She giggled happily, as Nick leaned closer to kiss her. But just then there was a grating sound behind them.

"What was that?" Maddie whispered to Nick.

"Part of the bars just opened up." Nick replied, helping her to stand.

"Escape?" Maddie asked looking brave.

"It could be a trap." Nick looked down into Maddie's pale eyes, knowing that the longer the spell on her stayed in place the more permanent it would become.

"Should we stay here?" Maddie gaze stayed pined on the wall behind him, unmoving. Nick's heart broke, and he made his decision.

"It's the best chance we have." He stated simply, guiding her towards the opening.

"Nick, I'll only slow you down-"

"Don't even go there, Maddie." Nick warned as they walked slowly down the passage.

--

"Andros?" a feminine voice called through the darkness. Andros blinked, trying in vain to rid himself of the blackness that cloaked his vision. He lay on his back, arms spread out beside him, awaiting his fate.

"_It's not her."_ He reminded himself, trying to will his aches and pains away. The Red Ranger had beaten him pretty bad after he had gotten hit with that spell. He felt like one big bruise.

"Andros!" he heard running feet, than a sudden cry, "Ow!" a pause in Ashley's voice. "Some kind of force field. Andros! Are you okay?" he kept his eyes closed, ignoring her.

"_No, it's not her."_ He reminded himself again.

"Andros! Can you hear me? Andros!"

"_It's not her. It's not her. It's not her."_

"Andros! Oh god please be alive, Andros!"

"I KNOW IT'S NOT ASHLEY!" he finally screamed, "STOP TORTURING ME!" he took deep breathes, silently cursing himself for losing his very well controlled emotions. Emotions only got you worse torture.

"Andros?" her voice cracked now, "Andros, it's really me. I don't know what she's done to you…" he heard a small slap against something hard, "I wish I could break you out of here! I'm so sorry Andros!"

"You're not Ashley." Andros repeated, his voice dead.

"I am too! Um… ask me something that only I would know!"

"I'm not falling for that again."

"Andros! Look at me!"

"How?" he opened his eyes and heard her small gasp.

"You're blind." He heard her say.

"You would know."

"No I wouldn't I-" she broke off mid-sentence noticing that part of his hand was sticking out of the force field. She took a deep breath, kneeling down beside him. She hesitated, gazing at Andros's pale eyes, then she reached out and touched his fingers with her own.

"What…?" Andros cried, snatching his hand back and sitting up with a jolt. The familiar Andros-worry lines appeared on his forehead.

"Andros…" Ashley whispered.

"Ashley?" Andros tightly closed his eyes, "Please… I can't take it if it's not you again."

"Reach your hands through the force field." Ashley told him, "I promise you, I would never hurt you." She saw Andros hesitate, and then he extended his hands, reaching out into the air. She took his hands and led them to her face, letting him know where she was. He traced her lips, felt the wet tears threatening to fall off of her eyelashes.

"Ash." He breathed, finding the necklace that he had given her for her birthday around her neck.

"We've got to get you out of here." Ashley said determinedly, getting up and pulling him out of the force field. He staggered, wincing in pain.

"Andros?" she asked worriedly, he gave her a small smile.

"I'm fine."

"Okay." She answered, noting the burnt clothing that he was wearing, "You fought her again, didn't you?" Andros slowly nodded.

"We all did." He groped for her hand as she pulled away from him, "Ash?"

"How bad was it?" she replied, searching the prison for some sort of escape. Andros stood limply in the center of the prison.

"Bad." He finally admitted.

"You could've been killed." Ashley muttered walking back over to him and taking his hands again, "I can't find a way out." She could see the pain in Andros's eyes; clearly he had more serious injuries then just his blindness.

"Ashley." He murmured, his hands traveling up her arms to stroke her face again.

"What is it?" She asked him, his unseeing eyes staring into the distance.

"I don't think she was trying to kill us." He put his ranger face on, "It was something else."

"I know." Ashley replied, "She wants to hurt us in the worst possible way."

"Ash." Andros breathed pulling her into his arms, "I should have listened to you."

"It wasn't your fault. There's no way you could have known." She rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes and feeling him wrap his arms around her protectively.

"Do you know how she's going to hurt us?"

"She already did."

"What do you mean?" Andros asked, alarmed. Ashley smiled, happy he was alive and breathing.

"She hurt you." Feeling Andros's confusion she pulled back, cradling his face in her hands, "She took you, because I love you. All of the rangers captured are in love with their rescuers."

"Ash… your saying that you're in this dank pit because I love you?"

"No." She smiled up at him, though he couldn't see, "You're in this dank pit because I love you." Then she pressed her lips to his, for a sweet kiss.

"Ash." Andros whispered, closing his eyes, "I…"

"I know." Ashley whispered, feeling tears threatening to fall again. There was a thunk behind her, she whirled, feeling Andros move protectively beside her.

"What was it?" he asked her, feeling completely helpless.

"The cage just opened up…" Ashley said, awed.

"Ashley…" Andros had a warning tone.

"Andros, this is a way out. I just know it." She wrapped her arms around him, noting the twitch of pain that he carefully tried to hide from her, "We're taking it." She decided, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the dark tunnel.

"Ash." Andros started, and then he gave up, following her blindly in the dark.

--

--

A/n please review and suggest who the Red Ranger should be! It's the only part of the story I haven't finished!


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

There was always that lingering doubt that one of them, or both of them, wouldn't come back. Tori was always a bright and cheery person, with a quick temper, and an even quicker mind. She was the only girl on the team, and an essential member. She was not only the heart of the team, but she was the responsible one. She was the one that everyone looked out for. Blake was losing her. He had heard what the Red Ranger had said, that Tori might not survive, but he still couldn't believe that she was dead, or even close to death. He didn't want to believe it. When he had gone with Tommy and the others to find her, he felt sure that she would pop up, telling him how she defeated the bad guys all on her own, and didn't need him to rescue her. That's how it always happened.

He hadn't meant to fall for her in the beginning. His job, his plan, had started falling apart as soon as he met her. His brother had depended on him, and he almost failed him. Hunter had once asked him if Tori would get in the way of avenging their parents. Blake had replied that she was only a cute chick, it was one of the only times that he had ever lied to his brother. He hadn't meant to use her to infiltrate their base, but it just worked out. He had to take the opportunity; he had to avenge his parents. Now, she was gone, after everything they'd been through, with Lothor and then the Dino's. He had failed to protect her, but he would not fail to find her.

"Hello?" he yelled into the darkness, "Is anyone there?" he'd fallen into a rotten mud hole-type prison. It was dank and wet, trees and moss covering the bars around him.

"Hello?" he called out again; he reached down, clutching the morpher on his wrist, "Tommy? Jason? Anyone there?" he dropped his arm in disappointment. He was caught, with no communications, and there was something behind him. He whirled, hearing a small noise. It was _her_, still in uniform, standing outside the prison bars.

"Where's Tori?" He growled at her, she cocked her helmeted head.

"If I lead you to her, what good would it do?" she asked him.

"More good then if you keep me from her." Blake replied.

"Hmmmm." She replied, walking through the bars, "but will you cooperate?"

"Just take me to Tori."

"She put up a good fight." She drawled, gesturing for him to follow her, "She and Kimberly actually caused some damage, but it just wasn't good enough." She turned back, her eyes hidden by her tinted visor. "Go through that tunnel."

"How can I trust you?" Blake spat, his anger growing.

"You should know, better than anyone, why I'm doing this." She replied, "I'll leave you two alone." She walked away, confident that he would do as she said. Blake watched as she disappeared in to the gloom, than continued down the tunnel.

"Tori?" he called, seeing a small gloomy light a few feet ahead of him. He sped up, his heart pounding, feet sloshing though the muddy dirt. He stepped into the dank room, eyes adjusting to the dim light. There was a small figure in black and blue ninja leather, lying crumpled on the ground, unconscious. "Tori!" he cried, kneeling down beside her, he felt for a heartbeat. She was alive. He breathed a sigh of relief, tracing the bruises forming on her face. "Tor?" he said, softly shaking her. "C'mon Tori." Her eyelids fluttered. "It's me Tori." He whispered seeing her confusion in her pain-ridden face.

"Blake." She rasped out, her mouth forming a small smile, she winced, turning her head toward him.

"Tor." He whispered, guilt overwhelming him.

"It's…" she let out a cough, trying to hide her obvious pain from him, "It's not-"

"I know." He glanced back down the tunnel; "We've got to get you out of here."

"Blake…" she closed her eyes, "I don't think I _can_ get out of here."

"No. Do you remember that scroll we found? The meditative healing one?"

"Blake I can't." Tori winced again, trying not to reveal just how badly she had been hurt. That meditation only healed minor distracting injuries.

"I'm not leaving you here." He looked around the small alcove.

"Blake," Tori clutched at his arm, fighting the pain, "You have to get out of here."

"What's going on?" Blake turned to gaze at her, "What did she do to you?"

"It's a death spell." Tori whispered.

"What?" he stood up, looking at her in horror, "That's impossible."

"I'm dying Blake." Tori admitted, trying to keep him in focus.

"No." he kneeled down again, "No no, that's impossible."

"Blake." Tori whimpered, as another spasm of pain wracked her body.

"Tor." He shook his head, clutching her hand, "This is all my fault."

"Don't be silly." Tori replied, coughing.

"It is my fault." He took a deep breath, "She wouldn't be doing this if I didn't love you."

"You…" she gazed at him in surprise, suppressing another shudder. "You love me?" Blake nodded.

"Do you remember when Cam and I had that spell put on us, and we fought over you?"

"You said it was time I knew the truth."

"That's the truth." Blake gazed at her, "I love you Tor. The only thing that spell did was make me want to tell you, and I just couldn't…"

"Blake." Tori whispered.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." Blake replied.

"Blake."

"She knew that I loved you, so she took you. We figured it out."

"Blake."

"You're dying and it's my fault!"

"Blake!" she began coughing, and Blake immediately stopped his ranting.

"I'm sorry Tor!" he whispered as she gasped for breath.

"It's not your fault." She wheezed, "I just wanted you to know…" she trailed off, silently debating with herself.

"Be honest Tor." Blake whispered to her, running a hand across her cheek, "I can take it."

"I've loved you since you finally came over to our side." Tori smiled softly, "Do you remember when you made me crash on my bike?"

"Do you remember when you almost killed me?" Blake replied.

"Which time?" Tori chuckled, wincing. Blake turned serious.

"Stop it."

"Stop what?" Tori replied.

"You don't have to act tough right now Tor." Blake whispered.

"I am tough."

"I really do love you." Blake said, placing his forehead onto hers.

"You shouldn't love me." Tori's eyes began to water.

"Why not?"

"I'm dying Blake!" she gazed into his eyes, willing him to understand.

"So let me kiss you." Blake replied.

"What-" Tori replied, but then Blake's mouth was on hers in a sweet, innocent, kiss, that had Tori melting into a pile of goo.

"I can't lose you Tor." He whispered, when he finally released her.

"You…. You should get out of here." Tori murmured.

"I'm not leaving you." He repeated, "If you're going to die, then I need to get you back home."

"I won't make it." Tori protested.

"You have to make it." Blake replied firmly, "Shane, Dustin, Cam, and Hunter will all want to say goodbye. Sensei would be disappointed in me if I didn't get you back to them." That, he silently added, and if he got her to one of the Mystic Rangers, they might have a counter-spell.

"I always thought after we gave up our powers…" she trailed off, "Once a ranger, always a ranger. That's what Sensei told me." She finally whispered, "And it's resulted in my death." Blake kneeled behind her, helping her to sit up.

"You're not dead yet Tori." He lifted her into his arms, "We could still find a way to save you."

"I still feel guilty…" she murmured, clearly feverish now, as Blake Ninja-streaked down the long tunnel to where _she_ had left him.

"About being evil?" he asked softly, looking up and down the passages before carefully following the path that _she_ had taken.

"I almost killed Kira." she snuggled into his chest, "And I don't remember any of it…. But I snuck a video…"

"I told you not to watch those."

"I had to. You know that."

"You want to know a secret?" Blake whispered, Tori nodded sleepily, "You have to stay awake though Tor."

"I'll stay awake." She murmured

"If we hadn't had found your powers… we all agreed that fighting you would be the last choice… but we talked about it quite a bit on the way to the abyss."

"What'd you say?"

"Hunter said that he would fight Dustin or Shane, it didn't matter. Cam agreed that he had no preference." He kissed the top of her head, "But I said that I had to be the one to fight you."

"Why?" she seemed slightly more awake.

"I couldn't bear to see anyone hurt you, you'd be a distraction otherwise if I was fighting Shane or Dustin, there were a variety of reasons." He paused, "Not to mention the fact that I loved you too much to let you really hurt me. And I felt I owed you, since you broke me out of that mind-wipe last time."

"Oh yeah…"

"Stay awake Tori." He shook her gently. "I'm going to get you out of here."

--

Vida paced in center of the dark, dank pit, wishing that somehow, she could get free. She knew that somewhere in this underground prison, Xander lay injured, along with her sister and possibly Nick. They had been sucked into the tunnels during the flash storm at the lake. She should've been able to get free of the cyclone, she was the Pink Mystic Ranger, free as the air, instead she was as trapped as the bugs she and Chip had captured as children. Poor Chip, he hadn't deserved what _she _had done to him, even if she was healing him. She leaned back against the bars of the prison, crossing her arms and tracing the pink emblems on her wrist guards. She was so happy to be back in her "forest garb" as Xander called it. Normally, she felt every inch a ranger when she had her cape swirling around her, but now she felt completely useless, and her cape had fallen off when she had tumbled down here.

"Ugh." She growled at the dim light taunting her from the ceiling. It was definitely a prison light, and though it was dim, it still bugged her. She found that she still was a touch light sensitive, although she didn't show it, after the vampire episode. She frowned, that was in the past, she had to remember that. She wouldn't easily forget coming back into Rootcore that night, only to find Xander being healed by Undonna. She didn't remember him being hurt that badly.

...

"_It's a bad burn."_ _Undonna had hissed in sympathy. Vida had quickly hidden from the duo, "this would be a good opportunity for you to learn about healing spells, are you sure…?"_

"_Yes." Xander had replied firmly, pulling his shirt back down, "If Chip or Maddie found out, they would definitely tell V, and I don't want that to happen."_

"_You believe she would feel guilty." Undonna reasoned, "All right let's get this fixed up."_

...

Vida shuddered at the memory. She had slashed Xander, causing sparks to shoot out of his suit, which was normal when battling. But the suit was not properly energized, mainly because Xander's emotions were preventing him from reaching full power or something like that. Undonna had explained it fully, but she still didn't quite understand it. Xander had gotten a terrible burn on his chest, Udonna had healed it. End of story. Of course, Udonna knew she was there, and as soon as Xander had left she explained what had happened.

...

"_So it is my fault." Vida groaned after Udonna had explained it all._

"_No." She replied calmly, "You were under a very evil spell._

"_So?" Vida scoffed, "I'm the one that dealt the blow!"_

"_Yes, but you were also the one that broke the spell."_

"_Chip did." Vida argued._

"_Chip helped." Udonna corrected, "Xander knew that you would try to hurt him. Everyone did."_

"_I guess so." Vida relinquished, "But I still feel bad."_

"_Xander didn't want you to feel bad." Udonna gently reminded her, "He cares too much for you."_

...

"Now I got him into another mess." Vida muttered, then she jolted up. There was a clanking sound in the tunnel she had tumbled down.

"Look out below!" A gruesome voice cackled. Vida dived to the side as a man tumbled out of the tunnel and crashed onto the floor. Dust flew up around them. Vida coughed, seeing the man struggling to get to his knees, then he collapsed back down on his face. Vida covered her mouth as the dust cleared away, the first thing she saw were the leather wrist guards, outlined in green.

"Xander!" she yelled, rushing over to him. She carefully rolled him over, revealing a bruised and battered Australian.

"V." he croaked, his eyelids fluttering.

"Xander, what'd she do to you?" Vida growled.

"She messed up my perfect profile." Xander joked.

"That's not funny." Vida replied, whacking him. Xander hissed in pain. "Sorry! I forgot you were hurt."

"Yeah, I know." Xander replied, closing his eyes. "Vida. I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" Vida asked quickly, feeling her heart pound.

"I need to apologize." He rasped out.

"C'mon, you couldn't possibly have done anything-"

"I failed you and Nick." He blurted out, and then took a shaky breath, "She hit Maddie with a spell when we were fighting, I couldn't stop her." He shuddered, "She and Andros are both blind now."

"Andros…" Vida mused, swallowing her fear for her sister, "He's the Red Space ranger."

"V." Xander seemed to be hallucinating, "I couldn't protect her, like I promised you I would. Nick…" he swallowed, hard, "Nick trusted me. I failed you both. When she first let me out into the cage with the rest of the rangers, she had Maddie separate. When I woke up…" he winced again, "She had Maddie for who knows how long!"

"Xander." Vida soothed him, noting the dried blood on his hands, "You did the best you could, and as much as I hate to admit it, Maddie's a big girl."

"I promised you V." Xander breathed. "I _promised_ you."

"Xander," Vida said gently, "You never promised me anything."

"I promised you the world." He murmured, reaching up and tugging on her hair. He grinned at her drunkenly, "You and me till the end."

"Xander." Vida looked concerned, "What happened after that?"

"W-what?" Xander blinked, "Oh, yeah. After I saw Maddie go down, I went nuts. I remember hitting the ground, and Kim yelling at me. Kim, Tori, Sky, Jen, and I were the only ones left. She took out Kat and Dana right before she hit Maddie and Andros with that spell, then she hit Eric…then me. Than Tori screamed…. I rolled over; the world was kind of spinning. Then I heard Kim shout again, and I turned to find her and help her, when I saw all this ketchup on the ground next to me." He gave out a bark of laughter, "Were was the barbeque at?"

"Xander, where are you hurt?" Vida repeated, seriously concerned.

"I woke up all loopy." Xander admitted, "That _ranger_ was there, telling me how I lost a lot of blood, but they stitched me up real good, and I was on pain meds."

"She stitched you up?"

"Yu-up." Xander slurred, "Do you want to see?" Vida nodded and he pulled up his shirt. The man had abs, Vida thought before banishing those thoughts from her mind. She had to help Xander, not jump him. "Can you see them?" he squeaked out, straining to see over his shirt.

"Oh jeez." Vida breathed, tracing the stitches along his side. The cut was at least a foot long.

"That tickles V! V!" Xander giggled, rolling over and knocking her to the ground. His face was an inch from hers. "V." he breathed; the affects from the drugs suddenly seemed to wear off.

"Get off of me!" Vida said, trying to sound tough.

"Wait a second…" he looked confused, "How did you get here?"

"She captured me!" Vida gave him an 'oh duh' look.

"You weren't supposed to get captured." He traced her lips with his thumb, "I made a deal with her…"

"What?" Vida shot up, forcing him to sit up. He rubbed his head.

"I don't understand, we made a deal…"

"What deal?" she grabbed him by the shoulders and gave him a quick shake, "Xander, what deal??"

"Huh?" he gazed at her face, blinking.

"Xander you tell me now, or I will not hesitate to beat you!" Vida threatened.

"V…" there was no doubt now that the drugs were quickly wearing off, "V, don't ask me to…"

"Hello Xander." A cold voice said from behind them. Vida whirled, as Xander wearily stood up next to her.

"You." Vida growled, getting a slight déjà vu feeling.

"Me." She replied, tracing the bars of the prison with a gloved hand. "The only actually solid bars in the caves." She mused, "Isn't technology amazing?"

"What do you want now?" Vida said exasperatingly. Xander clutched his side, feeling the numbness be replaced by pain. He tried to put as little weight on his injured leg as possible.

"Did Xander tell you about our little deal yet?" She said simply, "It's quite fascinating."

"I was just about to." Xander replied, his eyes flickering to Vida.

"Oh?" she sounded incredibly interested, "Go ahead."

"V." Xander gripped her shoulder when she kept her back to him to glare at the Red Ranger, who seemed content to study the bars of their prison. "You're free."

"I'm not leaving you." Vida snapped back, still glaring at the Ranger.

"You don't have a choice." The Red Ranger replied as Xander dropped his hand, "Xander made the deal, I'll enforce it. You were with the group that I captured, but I'll return you as I promised."

"What about Xander?" Vida growled.

"He's mine." The Red Ranger shrugged. Vida turned on Xander in a fury.

"Why would you do this??" she yelled. Xander faced her head on.

"I'm doing the same thing that Nick would do for Maddie if he had the chance!" he yelled back.

"That's because Nick loves Maddie!" Vida snapped back.

"And I love you!" Xander screamed, he breathed heavily, clutching his side.

"Xander-"

"No." He grabbed her arms, staring her in the eyes, "Listen to me, I couldn't bear to stand and watch you get hurt. When I woke up she had you on the monitors, and described the different ways that she was going to torture you, once she captured you with everyone else. I couldn't take it, so I made the deal. When all the rangers plus me fought her, I tried my best, knowing it was my only chance and she cut me open to remind me that I belonged to her." He let out a bark of laughter, "For once Plan Xander actually _worked."_

"You don't belong to her." Vida snapped, "You don't belong to anyone."

"He belongs to you." The Red Ranger interrupted, "Or did you not notice the fact that he's doing all of this, knowing that the torture I would have had you undergo, will now be his, all because he loves you."

"I noticed." Vida growled at her, she turned to gaze at Xander.

"It was the only way." He whispered, looking at her pleadingly.

"It can't be." Vida murmured, burrowing her head into his chest as the armored guards opened the cell to take her to the surface. Xander wrapped his arms around her, ignoring the pain in his side, and glaring at the guards who dared to take her from him.

"I love you V." he said softly, kissing the top of her head just before he released her. He stood numbly staring into her watering eyes as they grabbed her and pulled her roughly out of the cell. Vida blinked, anger seeping through her facial features.

"Wait!" she yelled to the Red Ranger, who was walking down the hallway. She shook off the guards stepping before the red monster. Xander came up to lean against the bars of the cell, watching. "You seem pretty confident of yourself."

"I have every reason to be." The Red Ranger pointed out.

"Then let's make a bet." Vida challenged, "If Xander and I can make it out of here, to the surface without getting caught, then you let both of us go."

"And if I catch you?" The Red Ranger asked, silencing Xander's protests.

"Then you add me to the deal." Vida said, Xander gazed at her in horror.

"V-" he began.

"I like it." The Red Ranger interrupted, she snapped her fingers, and both she and the guards disappeared. The door to Xander's prison creaked open, "You have a deal." Her voice echoed.

"Let's go earth-boy." Vida said, grabbing Xander by the waist and half-dragging him down the tunnel.

--

--

A/N Special thanks to Pinkranger888 and Ms. Fairweather for reviewing!

Want to see your name here? Review please! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it and it keeps me updating! ;)

Also I'm still taking guesses/suggestions as to the Red Ranger's identity... or maybe we'll never know...


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Syd was seriously angry. The one thing that she absolutely hated in basic training was falling. She hated it so much, that she was the first one to learn how to do it properly, so she never had to do it again. Now she was tumbling down a dirt chute into heaven knows what kind of muck below. She wouldn't stand for that. Not when she had to rescue Sky. In mid tumble she grabbed the iron that she always kept in her pocket, then slammed her now-iron fists into the sides of the chute. She slowed, then stopped dangerously close to the opening into the prison below. Syd smiled to herself, using her feet and iron fists to brace herself against the sides of the chute. They would be looking for her. All she had to do was wait. To distract her self from the growing muscle pain from holding the crammed position in the chute, she thought of her red ranger. Sky was so serious at the beginning of training; right up until they had finally defeated Grumm, by then he had loosened up enough that Cruger had named him the new Red Ranger in Jack's absence. Bridge had been telling Syd for at least a year that the former blue ranger had harbored a crush on the delicate blond for much of their new training. Syd disagreed, or maybe she just hadn't wanted to believe it at first. Then she began noticing little things like the way he said her name, or the way he confronted her when she was upset about some little insignificant thing, He was always there for her, and she let him down, She had given a lot of thought as to Nick's theory of the Red Ranger capturing their loved ones, She knew that she had always liked Sky, but love? It was easy to see it becoming that, maybe it already had. Why else would she be feeling that sinking sense of dread at the thought of him being hurt?

"It should've been me." She whispered, knowing that between the two of them, she was the weaker. It was why she had been named pink ranger, and him red. Syd closed her eyes, feeling her power starting to put a strain on her body. She had to hold it long enough for her plan to work. She waited patiently, debating silently with her self. Then she heard the clank of the prison cell below her being opened.

"Subject S is not in the cell." She heard a robotic voice say, "Repeat, Subject S is not in the cell." Syd breathed deeply, waiting until the opportune moment. "Searching now." A second voice drawled out, footsteps coming closer and closer to the chute. Syd swallowed, it was now or never.

"Hi-yah!" She yelled, falling out of the chute. She swung her iron fists, knocking the two red clothed guards out cold. She breathed a sigh of relief, releasing the iron in her hands, and letting it fall back into her pocket. The room spun for a brief second. She hadn't slept well the previous night, and it was draining to use her ability for that long.

"Subject S has freed herself." A computer voice beeped from the wall, Syd quickly jumped out of the cell, fearful it might lock her inside. She walked toward the nearest tunnel. "Subject S is heading toward Captive S." The computer voice chirped again. Syd glanced back at the rock wall, there was no computer terminal, no anything that she might hack into to find Sky and the others. Captive S sounded promising, she would find them.

"Right." She muttered, heading carefully down the dim tunnel. So maybe she did love Sky, but that didn't mean anything. Sky would never have a relationship with someone on the team. She tiptoed down the tunnel, staying up against the grimy wall. She would bet money that Captive S was Sky, but where was he?

"Ewwww." She wrinkled her noise at the layer of slime coating the cave walls. She must be near the lake to have all the precipitation in the tunnel. She was so concentrated on the watery slime, that she almost missed it, the tiny crack in the wall behind her. Only a glance back had saved her from walking away from it.

"Hmmm." She traced a finger along the crack, blocking the dim light that shone through the hole. Syd glanced back to make sure she was safe, then she put her eye to the crack. It looked like a small cavern of some sort, with a lantern on the floor next to… Sky.

"Sky!" Syd gasped, he didn't move. There were bruises all over his body, and his face looked swollen, but that was all Syd could see in the dim light from outside the alcove. "Sky?" she called out softly. He moved his head slightly toward her, as if he heard her. "Sky!" she called again.

"Syd…" She heard him whisper, but he didn't open his eyes.

"I'm going to get you out Sky, just hang on a second." She stepped back to study the rock. This would be slightly painful without her blaster or anything, but it'd be worth it to save Sky. She reached for her chunks of iron, and took a deep breath. She was a small person, but she punched the rock with her fists of iron with all her might. She aimed close to the crack, hammering away at the weak rock, making the hole bigger and bigger.

"I'm almost there Sky." She muttered, bashing a hole big enough to get through. She felt her energy slowly draining out of her, but she forced herself to keep going, glancing at the unconscious Sky. Finally, it was just big enough for her to step though.

"Sky." She breathed, releasing the iron, and letting it fall to the floor. The room spun again, but this time she let it, falling to her knees next to him. He looked terrible, not only was his face swollen, but his wrist looked broken, and his breathing was shallow. "Sky, wake up." She lightly shook him.

"Syd." He murmured through cracked lips, "My Sydney."

"Always." She whispered, not minding the sappiness at all, she rubbed her watering eyes; "We need to get you out of here."

"I'm too heavy for you Syd." He whispered back, his eyes opened slightly, giving her a small glimpse of his blue orbs, "You need to get out and tell the others, I figured out her weakness."

"You can tell them yourself." Syd said haughtily, "I'm perfectly capable of getting out of this underground nightmare." Sky chuckled, the sound raspy in his swollen throat.

"Syd." He murmured, lifting his good hand up to brush the hair from her face. He traced her cheekbone, and then let his hand drop. "You go and help the other rangers. That's an order."

"Sky-" Syd began, but Sky had closed his eyes again.

"Just go Syd." He whispered succumbing to unconsciousness.

"Same old bossy Sky." A cold voice said from behind.

"Can't you tell when you're not wanted?" Syd snapped, whirling around to stand before the Red Ranger. The wall that Syd had worked so hard to make a hole in, was gone, all that was left was rubble.

"I was just coming to offer an idea." The Red Ranger said simply, her hands grasped behind her back.

"Somehow, I don't think it will be very useful." Syd replied, glaring.

"Well, **I** think you'll like it." The Red Ranger replied, studying the cave wall.

"Hmmm." Syd replied, doubtfully, "I think you've done enough."

"I'll give you one free spell from yours truly." The Red Ranger continued, ignoring Syd's jibe, "I can transfer, all of his wounds," she gestured at the unconscious Sky, "To you."

"Why would you do that?" Syd asked, staring at her.

"You and I both know that there's no way that you can get him out of here by yourself." She stated simply, "And I need both of you to make some attempt to get to the final showdown, or this will all have been in vain." She gestured at the cave around them.

"Maybe we don't want to be at this final showdown of yours." Syd chirped back.

"Oh but you do," Her helmeted gazed seemed to land on Syd, pinning her down, "Besides, you and I both know that the way you told the rangers that Sky was captured, isn't really what went down."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Syd replied, putting on a haughty front.

"But you do sweetheart." The Red Ranger circled the two rangers, as if going in for the kill. Syd remained glued to the floor, unable to move, "I wasn't going after Sky. You know that."

"Stop it." Syd whispered, feeling panicky.

"I was going after you." She came to stand in front of the pink ranger, "You didn't tell Sky, but your energy levels have been depleting, you haven't been getting sleep. Your power is slowly getting away from you."

"Stop."

"I was going after you that day. I was going after the weakest link, the one who was hiding her secrets from the team."

"Please-"

"Sky was protecting you." The Red Ranger spat, "He wasn't meant to get the beating, you were."

"Enough!" Syd cried, squeezing her fists.

"Take responsibility for once Sydney!"

"Stop!"

"Save your pretty little boyfriend!"

"Quiet!" Syd screamed, she took a deep breath, the Red Ranger remained silent. "You could've stopped talking, like, five minutes ago." Syd snapped, lifting her head regally, "I had already made my choice."

"Then this is going to hurt." The Red Ranger lifted her arm, fingers extended toward Syd and Sky, "A lot." She watched as the spell took hold, as Sky's wrist healed itself, and Syd's snapped, causing her to fall to her knees in agony. She felt slightly sorry for the pink ranger, but she didn't have to choose to help the fallen red ranger. Then Syd collapsed to the ground, unconscious, just as Sky opened his eyes. He sat up slowly, clutching his head. Everything was so foggy, he vaguely recalled Syd, but how long ago was that if he was completely better? He lifted his wrist feeling the bones and muscles completely mended. He didn't even feel bruised! Then he saw Syd.

"Syd!" he yelled, crawling over to her broken and battered body. "Oh please no." he whispered, spying the broken wrist and bruised body. He carefully turned her over, gently cradling her small frame. There were his cracked lips, on Syd's perfect ones, there was the swollen neck from where the Red Ranger had strangled him, on Syd's delicate body. Every wound, bruising, or injury that he had gotten at the hands of the Red Ranger, had been transferred to Syd.

"What have you done?" he murmured, feeling tears prick his eyes, he glanced around the empty cave, "We're getting out of here Syd." He lifted her delicately in his strong arms.

"Sky." Syd whispered, Sky had to strain to hear her, "Forgive me?" she licked her lips, too exhausted to even open her eyes "It was supposed to be me in the first place."

"No." Sky disagreed firmly, "I couldn't let her take you Syd, you know that. It wasn't your fault."

"I didn't tell you," she was fading away again, "So many things…"

"Shhhh." Sky kissed the top of her head, "Tell me later, rest right now." Syd nodded into his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck. He had to tell the other rangers the Red Rangers secret, but most importantly of all, he had to get Syd out of here.

--

It was a very dank rotting hole that Taylor had fallen into, but luckily, she had a few tricks up her sleeve, she was not going to be captured that easily. She pulled out her cell phone, but got only static. Most likely, she wouldn't be able to morph, and if she could, than the Red ranger would probably be notified immediately. Gut feeling was to not morph… at least not yet, and Taylor always trusted her gut feelings. Something had already tried to grab her morpher when she fell, but Taylor had seen that one coming, and protected it. Good thing too, she would probably need it. She leaned down to look at the lock to her prison, and grinned.

"Easy as pie." She whispered, pulling out a small lock pick from her belt. The Air Force had taught a number of things, but picking locks had been Eric's specialty. He had taught her the night he snuck into her apartment to give her a necklace for their anniversary. Clearly, it was a worthwhile skill to know. She bit her lip, feeling the lock starting to give way, than she was free.

The tunnel leading away from her cell was pitch black, but there was no way that was going to stop Taylor. Tip-toeing through the ankle-deep brown water, she made her way down the tunnel. Eric was in such big trouble. Why she ever let him out of her sight, she didn't know. Every time she left him with Wes, they always got into some sort of trouble. Like the Red Ranger mission. She thought with a chuckle, whoever thought of that deserved whatever beating his team gave to him. Wes, Eric, and Cole had gotten so much crap from them, it wasn't even funny.

She stopped in her tracks, hearing sloshing coming from down the tunnel, ducking behind one of the boulders that were strewn about the caves, she waited. The sloshing passed by, and Taylor allowed herself one moment of relief. She peeked around the boulder, she had a choice of two tunnels, and neither looked very friendly looking. Gut feeling, Taylor thought, she was going to have to go with her gut feeling. She started down the mossier of the two tunnels, trusting instinct, and her fantastic streak of luck. The ankle deep water began to thin out, eventually turning into mud. Taylor kneeled down to examine the tracks. It looked as if someone had been dragged through here… no signs of any struggle from the captive. She continued along the tunnel, coming again to a split in directions. She could follow the tracks, but there was another set leading off towards the other direction, with a smaller, more feminine set of footprints.

Taylor felt her blood begin to boil; those tracks could only belong to the Red Ranger. She felt, literally felt, her face twist into a mask of fury, and she began to follow the tracks. There was no way that she was going to let the Red Ranger get away from this unharmed. There was just no way that Taylor Earhardt of the Untied States Air Force was letting her walk away from this whole encounter without at least one good beating. At least, that was her thinking when she started down after the Red Ranger's footprints, then she heard the screams.

_Eric._ Her mind whirled, those were his cries. She knew it. Her heart stopped, and all thoughts of going after the Red Ranger died as she sprinted down the other tunnel. She slowed, wishing she had some sort of weapon or something. There was another cry of pain. _They were torturing him._ She didn't think, she morphed, and then almost fell from the sheer pain, her morph flickering. The Red Ranger had to be interfering with her connection to the morphing grid or something. Taylor closed her eyes, leaning against the wall, putting all of her will power into staying morphed. The pain subsided, but Taylor had no idea how long it would last. She picked up her pace, finally reaching the light at the end of the tunnel, literally. There was heavy breathing coming from around the corner, along with at least two different sets of voices. Taylor dimly recognized the part of herself that wanted to make a plan before rushing in, but that was squashed with the next groan of pain that came from the other room. That was it. She burst into the room taking out first one muscular looking putty thing, than the other. There was one more robot type of thing, but in her rage he was no match for the Wild Force Eagle. And soon she was the only one left standing, as the bodies of her foes evaporated around her.

"Eric!" she turned, seeing him hanging between two posts. While she did briefly enjoy seeing him shirtless, that was nothing compared to the horror of what they'd done to him. His back was in shreds, someone had obviously taken a whip to it, while his ribs looked black and blue, his wrists were another bloody mess from where the ropes had cut into him. But what was the final blow for Taylor, was the way his head hung in defeat.

"Eric!" she ran over, releasing one wrist and than the other, he slumped onto her, as she supported all of his weight. "Eric?!" She gave him a little shake, his eyes fluttered open, and he gave her a cocky grin.

"You should've seen the other guy…" he muttered drunkenly. Taylor allowed a short laugh to escape her lips as she gazed at him through her visor.

"Does that mean you're going to be okay?" She was suddenly glad that the tinted glass prevented him from seeing her teary eyes. She would **not** cry.

"Yeah." He breathed, out, wincing. "It means I'm going to be fine." He let her lower him to the ground as she looked around for his shirt. It was shriveled up in the corner.

"Okay." She walked over, "I'm going to- aghhhh!" she let out a short scream as she fell to the ground, her suit flickering out. Eric couldn't breath as she lay there in a crumpled heap, her eyes closed.

"Taylor!" Eric yelled, his voice raw. He didn't remember screaming when they beat him, but his memory was hazy after… after they brought out the electric pokers. He crawled over to where she lay, clutching at his ribs. "Taylor? Come on Taylor!" he carefully turned her over, pushing her wispy blond hair from her face. "Wake up baby, come on!" he saw her brow furrow, and breathed a sigh of relief.

"What happened?" she murmured, gazing up at his bruised face.

"You screamed, demorphed, blacked out." Eric replied, leaning back "and scared me half to death."

"There was pain the first time I morphed," Taylor slowly sat up, rubbing her head, "I think she was trying to block my connection to the morphing grid."

"She knows you're here?"

"She practically brought me here." She gazed at him, as he sat down, grinding his teeth in pain. "What'd she do to you?"

"The usual bag of tricks." Eric laughed, "Then they just stopped, as if they were waiting, then they started up again." He winced, as she bit her lip.

"When'd they start up again?"

"I don't know, a couple minutes before you got here." He put his worried face on, "As if they knew you were coming."

"I went down the wrong tunnel." Taylor realized, "I was going after her, then I heard you scream… she's manipulating us."

"Ow!" Eric cried, grabbing Taylor's hand.

"Sorry!" Taylor released her death grip on his wrist. They stayed like that for a while, with Eric just holding Taylor's hand. Than he took a deep breathe.

"You need to get out of here."

"Okay, let's go." She moved to help him up.

"No, Taylor." He shrugged her off, "**You **need to get out of here."

"I'm not leaving without you." Taylor glared at him, "no matter what you say."

"She told me you were dead…"

"What?" Taylor looked at him, as Eric closed his eyes.

"That was the final straw. She described how she killed you, Wes, everyone." He felt her put her arms around him, "she showed me _video_." He tightened his grip on her arm, "Then when I heard your voice…."

"Eric…"

"No Taylor, you almost died just a few minutes ago, and you and I both know that you can't fight if you're holding me up."

"I didn't almost die." She snapped, "And how do you think I would feel if I just left you here, after saving your butt and getting my heart ripped out just by hearing your screams?" she took a deep breathe, "I'm getting you out of here whether I have to drag you out kicking and screaming. And you're in no position to argue."

"God I love you." Eric let out a short bark of laughter, burying his face in her chest, "I can't lose you." He whispered, "I'd be all alone again."

"That and no one else is going to tolerate your attitude. And Wes doesn't count 'cus he's a guy." She interrupted as he opened his mouth to argue. She released him and grabbed his arm, hauling him up to his feet, "Let's get your shirt on, as much as I like you like this." He complied, not uttering a sound as the shirt scraped the cuts on his back. Taylor bit her lip, her worry slowly seeping through her tough-girl façade. "Now let's go rexy boy."

"Q-rex." Eric muttered, as Taylor fit herself under his arm to support him, "It's a Q-rex, not just any rex. Q-rex."

"I know rexy." Taylor grinned up at him, trying to keep his spirits up. It was going to be a long walk out.

--

--

A/N So I'm updating way too much, here I was going to keep you in suspense. sighs oh well!


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

"Wake up little red." A voice called through the darkness. "Hmmm. Maybe I hit him too hard." There was feminine laughter, "Do you think that I did, Nurse Betty?" another voice, more distant responded, but he couldn't hear it. "What's the prog-no-sis, Doctor?"

"Leave him alone!"

"Wakey uppy little red." The voice continued, slowly pulling him towards the light, "Your girlfriends getting jittery."

"Carter!"

"Dana." he murmured, jolting awake. He raised his head; he was on the edge of some kind of pit… with Dana hanging above the inky black water. "Dana!" he yelled, trying to rush forward, but his hands were tied to some kind of metal rod above him.

"Carter!" Dana yelled, her face lighting up at seeing him awake, "Are you okay?"

"Okay?" Carter almost laughed… almost, "Dana what's going on?"

"Ooooh! I'll answer!" The Red Ranger danced into his vision, she seemed to be smirking at him from underneath her helmet, "We're going to play a game."

"I don't play games with psychopaths." Carter spat out, twisting his hands and testing the ropes.

"Wrong answer!" The Red Ranger said gleefully, she walked over to the edge, looking down, then she turned back to him. "If you get free and attack me, I might lose my concentration." She warned, looking up at Dana meaningfully. Carter followed her helmeted gaze; the rope holding Dana up was attached to some kind of pulley system, which was being held up by… nothing.

"Dana!" he yelled again, she gulped holding his gaze. They gazed at each other for a moment, and then Carter turned to the Red Ranger, "What's this game?"

"Ah, now we're listening." She waved a hand, and a screen appeared above their heads, "You're a pretty tough guy, Grayson, emotion wise. Obviously not physically, 'cus I could beat you with a butter knife." She giggled as Carter growled.

"What's the game?" he spat.

"I'm getting there." The Red Ranger looked at the screen, and suddenly it split up into seven mini-screens, circling around the room. Carter watched with a wary eye as one finally came to rest in front of them. "As a fireman you save lives on a regular basis, as a Power Ranger, you do the same thing. So this is a pretty routine game for you."

"Playing with lives isn't a game to me."

"Touché." The Red Ranger murmured, "See that's why I like you, you dish it out to the bad guys even when your teammates are in danger, even when your true love is in danger." Suddenly Dana let out a cry of surprise and fear as she dropped closer to the water.

"Dana!" Carter yelled, straining against the ropes. The inky black water looked deadly, it would not be good if she dropped.

"Oops, lost my concentration for a minute." The screen flickered in front of them as the other six circled around the room; "You met Nick, right?" suddenly Nick appeared on the screen leading a fumbling woman through the tunnel. "Aww isn't that cute? He's helping a blind Madison." She waved her hand, "Dana's met her, haven't you Dana?"

"Yes." Dana nodded, swallowed "She's a nice girl, with her whole life ahead of her. You have no right-" then she let out a yelp, as she dropped another foot.

"Mmmm, yes." The Red Ranger rubbed the chin of her helmet, "I forgot to mention what it is exactly that you're hanging over. It's water, to be sure. But if anything disturbs the water… well… I suppose I'll leave it to your imagination. Could be that electricity will electrocute anything that touches it, could be something a bit more… lively." She shrugged, "Who knows."

"The game." Carter snapped, trying to get her attention off of Dana.

"Yes yes." The Red Ranger waved her hand dismissively, the screens rotated, showing Andros and Ashley next, then Vida and Xander, one couple after another flashed before Carter's eyes. There was Sky carry Syd, Blake desperately trying to keep Tori awake, Taylor struggling forward with Eric, Jen lying motionless on a slab, all of them were spread out before him… all except-

"Where are Jason and Tommy?"

"Ever the eye for detail." The Red Ranger laughed, and Dana held her breath expecting another drop, but the Red Ranger surprised her, "Don't worry Dana, it was a good question that I'm not going to lose concentration over." She shook her head, her shoulders suddenly drooped, and Carter suddenly realized he was getting a rare glimpse of the women behind the helmet, the women who might actually contain a conscious. The women who would let them go, the women who never would have done this in the first place.

"The original rangers." There was a small smile in her tone, and then she shook her head again, "In my opinion, they've been through enough."

"You let them go?" Carter asked, shocked.

"No." The Red Ranger tapped her helmet, "You're getting a little too nosy. They're safe. That's all you need to know."

"What are you going to do with the rest of us?" Dana asked, "Torture us?"

"I did that already," The Red Ranger voice became threatening, she squared her shoulders, "To some of you."

"What's the game?" Carter persisted before she 'lost' concentration.

"Oh yes." She turned back to him, "It's quite simple. You answer the questions I ask you, and you and your friends will proceed to the final round. You lie to me, and not only will this break my concentration, but one by one your friends will fail." She cocked her helmeted head, "And many cannot afford to fail." Tori's picture rotated past then Syd's.

"What have you done?" Dana asked, seeing the pale Wind Ninja Ranger.

"Death spell." The Red Ranger said simply, and then blew her off, "What's it going to be little red?"

"I…" Carter looked up at Dana, then sighed, "Well I don't really have a choice, do I?"

"Very good. Let's begin." She locked her hands behind her back, turning fully to look at him. "We'll start out simple. What is Dana's father's favorite color?"

"Captain Mitchell?"

"Wrong." She laughed, "That's not even a color." Dana dropped another foot, and suddenly the picture of Nick and Madison began to shake, as the two were suddenly caught in a minor cave-in.

"No no no! Stop!" Carter yelled.

"Red! Carter it's red!" Dana screamed as rocks from the ceiling began hammering at the Mystic Rangers.

"Tick tock tick tock." The Red Ranger chanted as Dana dropped yet another foot.

"Red!" Carter shouted out, straining hard against the ropes.

"Correct." The cave-in stopped the dust clearing to reveal Nick wrapped around the Blue Mystic Ranger, protecting her from the falling debris. "Do you understand the game?" Carter nodded, then the Red Ranger turned to Dana. "No helping." She waved a finger at her as if berating a child. Dana gulped, and bobbed her head in agreement. She turned back to a pale Carter.

"Next question."

--

Wes had landed hard, but bruises he could handle, it was the fact that he and Jen were separated, again, that was emotionally staggering. He was trapped in some kind cage when Jen was injured, possibly dying for all he knew. He got up slowly, taking in his surroundings. He was in a suspended cage, and below him was… mist. Great, he couldn't even see what was below him. He sat down, knowing there was no point in attempting to escape until he could see what was what.

"Jen." He moaned quietly to himself. He couldn't afford to wait, she was hurt, he could feel it. He should've contacted the future as soon as Eric was caught, but she had implied that she already had captured Jen at that point. He should've called, then maybe he could've told her he was fine; the Red Ranger hadn't gotten him. Then maybe the Red Ranger wouldn't have gotten _her. _He glanced down at the swirling mist; there was something about this that was tickling his memory. He sighed; it was probably nothing, just him trying to find nonexistent clues that would tell him exactly why the Red Ranger was doing this.

He was just getting up to survey his cage a little more, when the shakes started. The whole cavern shook, like an earthquake. He fell back down to the floor of his cage, grabbing the bars to steady himself. Suddenly his cage shook harder, and Wesley glanced up, a sudden feeling of dread consuming him.

"Uh oh." He said, seeing that the metal in the ceiling that was _holding his cage up_ was working it's way out. He looked down; there was no way to tell what kind of drop it was. If the shakes didn't stop soon, he was in big trouble. They stopped, and he released a huge sigh of relief, allowing himself to relax.

--

"Just kidding Carter. You're still wrong." The Red Ranger laughed as the picture of Wes in the cage began to shake again.

--

Wes landed hard, but bruises he could handle. However this was not like the first drop he experienced. Not only did the cage fall, taking him with it, but also a nice chunk of the ceiling came down with him. He didn't think he fell very far, but then again, he was still doing inventory on his body parts. Nothing seemed broken, that was a definite plus, it was mostly the surprise of the sudden earthquake and the even more sudden fall that had his heart rate up. He slowly stood up, doing another quick check-up on his bruises. He had a couple more, he was going to be black and blue in a few hours, but he could handle it.

The door to his cage was open, that was the important part, and it looked like the mist, serving it's purpose of keeping him in the cage, was beginning to clear so it only swirled around his feet. That was a plus. Now, he could find Jen and the other rangers. He walked out, looking around the cavern. Then his heart stopped again.

"Jen." He whispered, for there she was across the room from him, lying lifeless on the cold slab of a table. "Jen!" he called a bit louder, running over to her. The mist swirled around his feet, causing his toes to go numb, but he didn't care, he didn't even feel it. "Jen." He repeated, as he reached her. He put his hand on her neck, feeling for a pulse. It was there, but it was faint.

"Captive J is in a coma." A robot slid up to him, he looked up at it, judging whether it was going to harm him or his.

"Who are you?" he asked, his fingers working on warming Jen's.

"Robot SL 2801." The robot replied, "I was sent to tell you that Captive J is in a coma."

"Sent?"

"By my master."

"The Red Ranger." He kept his tone even.

"Yes. She is otherwise preoccupied, or she would inform you herself." The robot cocked its head; "You are one of the few she wishes…" it trailed off, suddenly looking uncomfortable.

"Wishes what?" Wes was curious now, "What does she wish?"

"She believes that you two have been through enough. Unfortunately she cannot let you leave until certain… aspects of her mission are met."

"Jen needs medical attention."

"She will be provided for." The robot turned to walk away, "I will give you privacy."

"Wait." Wes called, glancing down at Jen's lifeless face, "Tell me more about this mission."

"I cannot."

"Then tell me why she feels we've been through enough." Wes was trying hard to fight his frustration, "I mean we already figured out that it's because I'm in love with her!" he gestured at Jen.

"Yes." The robot nodded, "And my master is working to make it be."

"Make what be?" Wes stroked Jen's cheek, "I don't quite understand."

"It is not for you to understand." The robot began to walk away, then it stopped, "She wants me to inform you…" there was a buzzing sound, then a click, "Jennifer is in a coma. You must get her to the… final showdown." Then, right before Wes's eyes, it faded away, as if it never existed. Across the room the mist swirled, and a door opened.

"Okay Jen." Wes gazed into her still face, "We're going to go find out what's what." He smoothed her hair back, feeling helpless. Then he swallowed and scooped her up, heading towards the door, and the 'final showdown'.

--

"Nick?" Maddie croaked as the dust settled. She felt a weight on her body. "Nick what happened?" she reached up, and felt something wet and sticky on a soft surface. "Nick?" she asked again, more panicked now. _Please no._ "Nick?" she sat up slowly, feeling around with her hands. They seemed to be surrounded by rock… a cave-in? She closed her useless eyes, remembering the shaking, then Nick's yelling, then someone, Nick, throwing themselves on top of her… the rocks must have fallen, Nick must have protected her from the falling rocks.

She reached her hands forward, feeling an arm, then shoulders, then a face. Nick's face. That's where the sticky stuff had come from, Nick's head. His eyes were closed, but… Maddie grabbed his wrist with her other hand, then let out a sigh of relief. Heartbeat was strong; he just had a bump on the head… that was it. She wished desperately she had her wand, wished desperately that she could see just how bad the damage was. But for now, all she could do was lift Nick's head into her lap, and wait for him to wake up. Because he had to wake up, he would wake up. There was no other option.

"Please." She whispered to him, "Please Nick. Please wake up. I won't be able to make it if you're gone." She fought back tears, babbling now, "Can you believe we fought the Master, just so we could get captured by some rogue ranger?" she rested her head on his forehead, needing to feel the contact. _Please…_

--

"Trakeena?! I don't know!" Carter yelled as Tori lay shaking in the screen above their heads.

"She can't take much more." The Red Ranger warned, "Blake can't either." The Navy Ranger was practically in tears, not knowing how to help the seizing Wind Ranger.

"That one monster that mind-wiped us!" Carter finally screamed. The Red Ranger shrugged.

"I'll take it." She waved her hand, and Tori immediately stilled. "Next question."

"How many more questions are there?" Carter whispered, his head hung low. He had already seen Andros suffocated, Xander beaten, Syd's heart had stopped, and Eric had hallucinated to the point where he almost destroyed Taylor. There was no one left, and to top it off Dana hung a mere five feet above the black water.

"I suppose we'll move on to the final round." The Red Ranger said.

"Thank god." Dana breathed, the tears still fresh on her face. But she kept her gaze on Carter, trying to send him all the support she could. This was taking it's toll on him, and Dana knew that not only could their friends not handle anymore, but neither could Carter. He would never forgive himself, never. The look on Sky's face alone when Syd had 'died' would haunt both of them until they were dead.

"Last question."

--

"Andros!" Ashley yelled as he collapsed to the ground. His poor throat was raw; he had clawed at it to the point where he was drawing blood, trying to fight off the unseen enemy choking him.

"Ashley." He croaked, "What-"

"Don't." Ashley replied, putting a finger against his lips, "Rest your throat." He nodded, gasping for breath. "It must have been the Red Ranger, but I don't see how…"

"Magic." Andros breathed, closing his eyes.

"I've…" she grabbed him in a hug, burying her face in his chest, "I've never been so scared. We were walking, and then you were gasping… I… I didn't know what to do-"

"Ash." Andros stroked her hair, his voice raspy, "I'm fine. I just want to know what set it off." Ashley nodded, staying in his embrace for one more second, before pulling away,

"I just don't want to lose you." She admitted.

"You won't. I promise." He gave her his best smile. "After all I survived Karone." He tried to joke, but Ashley could see the lingering pain from that encounter still in his eyes.

"Right." She wiped the tears off of her cheeks; grateful for a small moment that he was blind… he couldn't see her crying. "Let's get the heck out of here."

--

"Agh!" Eric yelled, clutching his head and falling to his knees. He blinked, the monster was gone… he was back in the tunnel. His stomach dropped, _Taylor._ He looked around wildly, and then saw her. She was curled up against the wall of the tunnel, watching him with a wary eye.

"Eric?" she asked, "Are you back?" he nodded, trying to talk past the lump in his throat. She had a fresh bruise on her cheek. _From him._ He gazed at his hands in horror. He was turning into his father…

"I did that?" he nodded toward her, his voice coming out all gravelly from emotion.

"I wasn't fast enough." Taylor shrugged, "What happened? One minute we're trucking along, the next you're yelling and fighting me off."

"I hit you."

"Yeah well, I should've figured something was off when you started going on about a monster." She laughed, "Guess I thought I was having a bad hair day."

"I hit you." Eric repeated, just staring at the mark on her cheek.

"Eric," She kneeled down beside him, "I take hits all the time." She waved her morpher in his face, "Hello, Power Ranger!

"Yeah, but **I **hit you." He targeted his gaze to the floor. Taylor watched him carefully.

"You're not your father." She finally said, his eyes shot up to meet hers, "The Red Ranger was messing with you. It wasn't your fault. You are not your father."

"Taylor-"

"No listen," she took a deep breath, "I know you would never hurt me like that. You're Eric Myers, Quantum Ranger. You're argumentative, hardheaded, and can be an overall jerk sometimes, but I trust you with my life. You'd never hit me on purpose. Got it?" she stared him down until he nodded, "Good. Now let's get out of here."

--

_Sydney. Sydney. Sydney__**.**_ Sky was on his knees, not noticing the mud, not noticing the cold, with his head buried in Syd's perfect hair._ Syd. Syd. Syd._ He didn't even know he was crying. He couldn't feel anything but his own relief and heartbreak. He almost lost her. _**Syd.**_ She had almost died in his arms. He was just walking, listening for guards or the Red Ranger, when he just happened to glance down at Syd. Happened to notice that she wasn't breathing, happened to see that she didn't have a heartbeat. Who knows how long she was like that, without him even noticing? He was so concentrated on getting out of there, getting his hands on the Red Ranger, so concentrated on his mission that he hadn't even noticed when she stopped breathing.

_Oh god,_ he couldn't lose her. He just couldn't. She had always done so much for him, had always been _there_ for him, and he had almost lost her. She had almost died in his arms. First his dad, then Syd… no. Syd was alive, she was breathing again. His own breath suddenly hitched, realization dawning, his injuries that she'd taken weren't that severe. She wasn't losing blood; her heart wouldn't just stop like that. The veil seemed to be pulled from his eyes, _the Red Ranger did this._ He knew it with absolute certainty. She had almost killed Syd. His Syd. He slowly lifted his head, the burning fear and grief was slowly replaced with rage. Sky welcomed the change. He could work with rage. He'd worked with rage for half of his career as the Blue Ranger of SPD before finally coming to terms with Jack, and his own failings.

Oh yeah, he knew exactly what to do with his rage. _Oh Syd…_

--

"Ow!" Xander cried as Vida tried to help him up, "Geez, V, be careful!"

"Sorry, sorry!" Vida stammered, closer to hysteria then she'd ever been in her whole life. He just started convulsing as some unseen, unknown enemy began beating the stuffing out of him. As it was, one of his stitches had popped out, he was slowly getting a black eye, and Vida had to stand there and watch it, unable to do anything. She'd tried to. God knows she _tried_ to fight his invisible attacker, but nothing was there. There was nobody for her to punch. So she'd been forced to stand by and watch while Xander was kicked and punched, unable to do anything to help him.

"We're good." He breathed out, as they finally go him upright, but he was definitely leaning heavily on Vida, "Yeah. I'm good."

"Don't lie to me Xander."

"I'm not lying." Xander protested, as they continued down the tunnel. He was limping heavily now, "I'm just stretching the truth." He offered her a lopsided smile, then winced.

"Why would she do this?" Vida growled, as they struggled on. Xander just looked at her.

"Why'd you make that deal?" he stopped, waiting for her to answer.

"The same reason you made yours." Vida replied quietly.

"V…." he was filled with bubbly happiness, "When-"

"Matoombo." She answered with a smile; "You helped me, even when you didn't agree with me." He lowered his head to hers.

"It was right after the vampire incident for me." He grinned at her, "You scared me so bad…"

"Not as half as much as you're scaring me right now." Vida growled back, "How dare she do this!"

"You can beat her up later." Xander grimaced, "Let's just find the others and get out of here."

"Agreed."

--

"Blake." Tori croaked out, "I want you… to give the guys a message for me..."

"You're not going to die Tori." Blake snapped back, "Don't even talk like that." He looked around the tunnel, and then looked back at her, "I'm not going to let you die, okay? You're not going to die." He scooped her up in his arms from where he had set her down during her seizure. She couldn't take much more, he got that, realized it, accepted it. But by god, he could still save her.

"Blake." She croaked out again, as he continued determinedly down the tunnel, "I… want them to know… they were in my last thoughts… love them."

"Don't fall asleep on me, Tor." Blake felt the tears pricking his eyes, but he ruthlessly blinked them back, "Tell me what happened when you fought the Red Ranger." He had to keep her awake… he knew instinctively that if she fell asleep, she wouldn't wake up. He'd lose her.

"The… fight." She repeated slowly, "Dana and Kat went down first… Maddie and Andros got hit with some kind of eye spell… they didn't have a chance after that. Once Maddie went down, Xander went after her with a vengeance…. He kept going… even when he lost his morph…. I remember seeing him down on the ground… I think he was bleeding… then this huge shadow came out of her…" there were tears in her eyes now, "It picked me up… then it disappeared… it hurt so bad… I just remember hearing someone screaming…" she looked up at Blake, tears rolling down her cheeks, "I think it was me…" she whispered, "I think I was the one screaming…"

--

"Last question." The Red Ranger whisked the screens away, "For the emotionally stinted Red Ranger." She walked up, so she was helmet to nose with Carter, "You're worse than Andros really."

"Ask." Carter growled, testing the ropes. The Red Ranger leaned forward,

"Do." She whispered, "You. Love. Dana?" Carter froze, and Dana began dropping inch by inch toward the water.

"Carter?" She called, but Carter couldn't hear her, his ears were buzzing, his heart thumping too loud to hear anything. Then, it stopped, as Carter finally admitted to himself what he never could when they were rangers.

"Yes." He whispered, his head held high, "I do."

"You win the game." The Red Ranger murmured, as Dana stopped just a mere foot above the water, "You'll advance to the final round." Carter closed his eyes, grateful that it was almost over. "Good luck." She disappeared just as the ropes that held Carter's hands did. He was free.

Then Dana dropped into the water.

--

--

A/N Thanks to Pinkranger888, Ms. Fairweather and Original-Red-Pink-4ever for reviewing! Just a mere two more chapters after this one! Who could the Red Ranger possibly be?! Keep reviewing, I really appreciate your thoughts!


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

He didn't think, he dove. Her hands and feet were still tied, she couldn't swim, and so he jumped in after her without even thinking about it. He hit the water, and resisted the urge to breathe in. It was as cold as ice, and he could hardly see anything. _Dana._ He jerked around in the water looking for her, then kicked his feet, and grabbed the rope she had been tied to, yanking upwards with all his might. He kept pulling, going further and further down the rope, until his hands met hers, and together they surfaced.

"Carter!" Dana gasped out, shivering in her skirt, he quickly undid the ropes on her hands, dived down to the ones on her feet. He resurfaced.

"L-ladder." Carter shivered, his voice echoing in the empty room. They swam over to the cast iron ladder. Carter glanced around, as Dana scurried up. They were across the pit from where the Red Ranger had been questioning him. There was no sign of her. He scrambled up the ladder to where Dana was kneeling in front of a huge staircase. He hadn't seen the staircase before, but maybe he just hadn't been looking.

"Carter!" Dana cried, throwing her arms around him. He wrapped his arms around her, trying to transfer any warmth that he had left to her. She pulled back, looking at him quizzically, "What was the last question?" she laughed, grateful that he was okay.

"You didn't hear?" Carter asked, rubbing her arms. She was so cold. Dana shook her head, her hands still gripping his arms.

"I just heard you say yes."

"She asked me…" he hesitated, staring into her eyes, "She asked me if I love you Dana." She gulped.

"You said yes." She watched him nod, his eyes guarded, "Is it true?"

"She would've killed you if I lied." He replied. Dana grinned.

"I love you too!" she cried, throwing her arms around him.

--

_Please…_ Maddie rocked back and forth, cradling Nick's head in her lap. _Please wake up… please._

"Please Nick." She whispered, "Don't die." Suddenly she felt his hand twitch. "Nick?" she pulled back, straining to hear some kind of movement or sign of life from him. "Nick?" she asked again, _please please please…_ "Nick?"

"Maddie." Nick croaked, tightening his grip on her arm.

"You're alive!" Maddie laughed, relieved beyond belief.

"Yeah," he agreed, slowly sitting up. He turned to look at her, noting her wet cheeks before she quickly wiped them off. He clutched his head, suddenly dizzy. He'd gotten quite the bump.

"Are… are you okay?" Maddie asked, feeling forward with her hands, trying to find him. Nick quickly grabbed her hands in his and gave them a squeeze.

"I'm fine," he looked around, grateful that the cave wasn't blocked off, "How long was I out?"

"I… I don't know." Madison admitted, "Is it safe to continue?" Nick nodded, before remembering that she couldn't see.

"Yeah, I think so." He studied her face; the spell was starting to soak in, becoming more permanent. They had to hurry.

"Can I stand?" Maddie asked.

"Yeah." Nick replied. He started to stand up with her, then grabbed her shoulders as a wave of nausea came over him.

"Nick?" Maddie called, he gave his head a shake, "Are you dizzy?"

"It's passed." Nick rubbed his forehead, "Koragg gave me worse." He said with a laugh, "But I still have a killer headache right now."

"We should hurry," Madison whispered, gazing just over his shoulder, Nick felt a pang in his heart, "This cave could still be unstable." Nick rubbed her hands, turning to guide her out of the debris surrounding them. But Maddie didn't move, "Thanks… for protecting me."

"You're always protecting me." Nick reminded gently, impulsively touching her cheek, "It's about time I returned the favor." He guided her over the rocks. She waited until they were passed the cave-in before she asked.

"When have I protected you?"

"Ten Terrors." Nick replied, without missing a beat, as they made their way down the tunnel, "The Hunter."

"Oh." Madison breathed, remembering, "But I had to."

"No you didn't." Nick shook his head, "And you shouldn't of. I was so mad at you for pushing me out of the way, and taking that hit for me."

"I didn't really think about it." Madison admitted, "I just did it."

"Maddie." There was a sudden change in Nick's tone, he was in Ranger mode, "There's a staircase ahead of us."

"Staircase?" Maddie swallowed, "Just tell me where to step."

--

"This is a lot easier when you have to lean on me like this." Ashley chirped, referring to leading a blind Andros.

"I bet." Andros rumbled, not at all happy with his current weak state.

"Look at it this way," she gave him a quick peck on the cheek, "We get to cuddle."

"This is not my idea of cuddling." Andros admitted, when suddenly Ashley stopped, "Ash?"

"Stairs."

--

"Anyone?" Xander whispered as Vida looked around the corner, she turned back to him.

"I don't see anyone." She replied, before grabbing his hand, "Let's go."

"Careful V." Xander winced as she pulled him around, jarring his side.

"Sorry." Vida grimaced, "I just have this funny feeling."

"What feeling?" Xander asked, not relinquishing her hand.

"We need to hurry." Vida shrugged as the tunnel twisted in front of them, she peeked around the corner, "Oh jeez."

"What?" Xander frowned, shoving his head around next to hers.

"It's a stairway." Vida breathed.

--

"How you doing Eric?" Taylor asked when Eric winced beside her.

"Good." He breathed, "I'm good. Shirts just rubbing on my back."

"I'm sorry." Taylor winced in sympathy, "I didn't have anything to dress them with."

"I know." Eric replied as the two staggered down the tunnel, he glanced up, "Am I hallucinating?" he asked.

"What?" Taylor looked up from where she was watching his feet, "Oh."

"Stairs?"

"Stairs."

--

"Then… I had to battle my double." Tori rasped, "The only reason I won… was because of my ninja powers."

"I remember that." Blake murmured, he had Tori telling him all sorts of stories too keep her awake and talking, "That was the day Hunter and I first arrived. I saw you get sucked into the camera." Tori chuckled.

"That was the most god awful outfit."

"You looked adorable." Blake replied loyally, kissing her on the forehead. They turned the corner, and he stopped.

"What?" Tori asked, still huddled against his chest.

"I think we're almost out." Blake smiled at her, indicating the stairs ahead of them.

--

Wes walked warily down the tunnel. It was a straight shot to the stairs, but he didn't want to jar his precious cargo. It was a long walk before they reached them, but they did.

"Look Jen," Wes smiled, slowly losing hope that she would ever open her eyes, "We made it." His face hardened, "On to the final round."

--

"Sky." Syd breathed. Sky glanced down, relieved to hear her voice after a long walk in silence. "I need to tell you something… something important."

"Go ahead Sydney." He replied softly, she seemed to need encouragement.

"The Red Ranger was after me… I'm the weakest." Sky opened his mouth to argue, but Syd intercepted him, "No, listen." She took a deep breath, opening her eyes, "My energy levels have been depleting… I haven't been sleeping much… my powers…" She squeezed her eyes as if in pain, then opened them, "They've been getting away from me… it's gotten… pretty bad." She admitted, "That's why she was after me… when I told you I was fine… I lied to you." Sky swallowed.

"But you're still alive Sydney Drew." He whispered, "And you're going to stay that way. We'll deal with your powers when we get back, okay?" she seemed to calm, dozing off.

"Are we there yet?" she sighed into his chest.

"Where?"

"The final showdown." Sky looked up at the stairs in front of them.

"I think we are." He walked up the stairs.

"Sky." Syd gasped out suddenly as they reached the top, the doors beyond were huge, "Just in case I…"

"Don't even go there Syd." Sky warned. But Syd only blinked as the doors opened and the light blinded them.

"I love you Sky." She breathed. He looked down at her, shock evident on his face.

"I love you too Syd." He said after a minute, kissing her on the forehead. He stepped through the doorway. His eyes took a minute to adjust to the brighter lights. There was a huge clear lake above them… they were standing in what looked like some sort of arena. Sky's eyes met Wes's from across the room. The Rangers had all come out in the same place. He quickly did a quick damage assessment. Tori was down, so was Jen, Andros and Madison were still blind, Eric and Xander were hurt but standing, Dana and Carter looked emotionally drained but otherwise good. Nick was bleeding from a bump on his head, but overall they still had a fighting team.

"Everyone's here." Ashley told Andros, "We're in some kind of arena." She looked up, "I think we're under the lake, you can see the water above us." She and the other rangers eyed each other for a moment, trying to decide if it was another trick. Then Dana broke the ice.

"Who's the worst?" she asked, stepping forward, "Who needs medical attention?"

"Sydney." Sky found himself blurting out. Dana nodded, but before she could walk over, there was a rumble. A small circular stone lifted up in the middle of the room. Then the Red Ranger appeared. She didn't come in with smoke, or even an explosion. The rangers just blinked and she was there.

"Rangers." Her voice carried easily through the silent arena, "Final round. Beat me and you're free." She seemed to smile, "I'll even give you your morphers," they appeared on the slab, "If you can get them." She changed to a wider stance, "Ready set go." No one moved. Then Wes and Sky gazed at each other, nodded, and caught Dana's eye. She cocked her head, indicating Xander. The silent plan went around the room, until finally it was set. Still, no one had moved, and the Red Ranger hadn't so much as stirred.

"Wild Access!" Taylor yelled suddenly, "Soaring Eagle!" and the room erupted. Sky and Wes quickly made their way over to one side of the room, depositing their loved ones. Blake did the same as Dana quickly ran over to check on Syd. Carter joined Taylor in the attack on the Red Ranger, along with Vida. The Red Ranger didn't move one muscle as Carter came at her back, then she suddenly erupted into a series of kicks and punches, knocking back the Lightspeed Ranger, then Vida. Blake and Sky quickly joined the fray as Nick and Ashley led their partners over to where Dana was. Xander was already busy helping Dana with Syd's injuries. Nick locked gazes with him, before turning to Maddie.

"Stay here. Don't move." He ordered, before running towards the middle of the arena, where the real fight was.

"What else can I do?" Madison replied sarcastically.

"Don't you dare Ash." Andros whispered, clutching Ashley's hand.

"Ashley?" Madison called, turning towards the duo, "Andros let her get me my morpher, and then you and I can take a turn." Ashley patted Maddie's arm in a silent thanks, before turning to do her part in taking the Red Ranger down. Eric guided the blind rangers toward the wall.

"Can you really lift the spell on yourself Madison?" he asked quietly, watching the battle with eagle eyes. Not one of the rangers was getting to the morphers. And Taylor was fighting as if she was in extreme pain… the Red Ranger was clearly interfering with her morphing abilities.

"Put my wand in my hands," Madison nodded, "I can I do a lot more than that."

"Tori's got some kind of death spell on her." Eric recalled, "Could you lift that?" Madison blinked.

"You'd have to show her to me."

"Eric." Andros suddenly grabbed his arm, "Where are the morphers at?"

"Middle of the room, why?" Andros frowned, closing his eyes.

"Be my eyes." He replied, listening to the battle. He reached out with his mind, visualizing the morphers in his head.

"It's levitating." Eric announced, "Can't tell whose it is though."

--

"Hi-yah!" Ashley yelled, coming into the fray with a solid kick, which the Red Ranger blocked without so much as a break in step, throwing her back onto the floor. "Ow." Ashley winced, and then suddenly Blake was there, helping her up. "How…?"

"Ninja-streak." He replied, "Go in after her while I go after the morphers." He locked gazes with her, "Distract her long enough so I can get by."

"They aren't distraction enough?" Ashley gestured to where the other Rangers fought the Red Ranger.

"She's too fast." Blake shook his head, "But you're light enough that I can carry you straight to her, then go straight for the morphers."

"Gotcha." Ashley nodded, understanding his plan immediately, "Let's do it." Blake grabbed her arm, and suddenly she was speeding past a flying Vida, a punching Sky, Carter picking himself up off the ground, Nick beside him, Taylor clutching at her head, and Wes hitting the dirt. She felt herself go into the kick automatically, and suddenly found herself launched, super speed, at the Red Ranger. Blake went low, sliding in at her feet. Red jumped of course, but Ashley was there, kicking at her, pushing her back away from the morphers as the Red Ranger blocked her kicks, but in mid-air, she couldn't control where she was going.

"Dana!" Blake yelled, tossing her morpher at her, he grabbed another one as the Red Ranger landed, rocketing towards him, "Sk-" he was thrown back into the Ranger in question, Sky's morpher still clutched in his hand. "Here." Blake stuffed it into the SPD Red Ranger's hands, before going back for more. Sky grinned coldly, the weight of the badge familiar in his hand. Vaguely he heard Dana morphing, before he did the same.

"Lightspeed Rescue! Pink Ranger Rescue Ready!"

"SPD Emergency! One! SPD Red!" two morphed rangers (Dana was administering medicinal aid) quickly proved to be too much for the Red Ranger, forcing her back away from the morphers again and again, giving Blake enough time to Ninja streak and grab another one.

"Andros!" He swooped over, grabbing the morpher Andros had worked so hard to levitate on the way, "Annnnd Vida!" He tossed her phone to her as she smirked, calling onto her Mystic Force powers.

"Magical Source, Mystic Force! Ever-changing as the Wind, Pink Mystic Ranger!"

"Andros," Eric grabbed his hand, stopping him from morphing, "Wait until Maddie can lift the spell." Andros nodded, hearing Ashley fighting, and feeling utterly useless.

"Let's see." Nick let himself be thrown back by the Red Ranger, right toward the morphers; he grabbed one as he flipped past. His head was pounding, but he kept going, "Ashley!" He called as he landed, she ran up to him, quickly strapping the morpher on her wrist.

"Let's rocket!"

"Syd's." Blake said quietly, handing the morpher to Dana.

"Eric." Taylor cried triumphantly. They were still technically losing, the Red Ranger was whooping their butts, but they were getting the morphers back with ease, meaning she had to work harder at it.

"Quantum Power! Quantum Ranger!"

"Carter!" Ashley tossed his morpher over, as he grinned at her.

"Lightspeed Rescue! Red Ranger, Rescue Ready!

"Hey Nick!" Blake yelled, the Red Mystic nodded his head in thanks.

"Magical Source, Mystic Force! Forceful as Fire, Red Mystic Ranger!"

"Hmmm." Carter studied the strange cell phone, then recognized the horns, "Xander!"

"I got Tori's!" someone else yelled.

"Magical Source, Mystic Force!" Xander cried, strength pouring through him.

"Blake!" Nick called, grinning as he held up the Ninja's morpher, "A thank-you present." Blake smirked, morphing.

"Thunder Storm! Ranger Form!"

"Wes!" someone else cried out, "I got Jen's too."

"Time for Time Force! Time Force Red!"

"Madison's!" Ashley yelled, the Red Ranger's head snapped up, "I got- ah!" the Red Ranger kicked her from behind, sending Maddie's morpher skidding across the sand.

"Got you!" Nick whispered, before the Red Ranger took him out with a headshot.

"My turn!" Vida yelled, coming in with a tornado, she grabbed Madison's morpher, tossing over to where the Quantum Ranger stood guard over the two blind rangers. "Sis!"

"Maddie!" Eric yelled, catching the cell phone. "Go!" she grabbed it, working quickly.

"Andros?" she called.

"Here." He replied, she turned towards him, then waved her wand, reciting the counter-spell.

"Great job Maddie!" she heard him cry, "Let's Rocket!"

"Eric?" she asked, feeling someone beside her.

"Nope, Nick." Nick replied.

"Lead me to Tori?" she whispered, hearing the fight rage on.

"What about you?"

"Tori's dying." Madison shook her head; "I can do me after I save her life."

"Maddie, you can't save her life if you can't see." Nick took a deep breath, and then took out his wand, "What's the counter-spell, I can fix you."

"NO." Madison stumbled forward, "We need to save Tori!"

"Geez." Nick replied, before relenting, "Okay this way." He led her over, helping her kneel down.

"Nick?" Xander asked, looking over from where he was helping Dana loosely bandage Syd's wrist, "Maddie's counter-spell."

"She won't tell me." Nick shook his head; Madison had already started on the counter spell for Tori.

"Nick get back!" Madison suddenly cried, pushing him aside, as a huge black cloud burst out of Tori's body, blasting the Blue Mystic Ranger back against the wall.

"Tori!" Blake screamed, his visor pulling back to reveal his terrified face. The battle stopped as the other Rangers looked on. _The Red Ranger smirked. _Tori's body lifted as the smoke streamed out of her body. She screamed, and then suddenly she was laying back down on the ground, the smoke gone.

"Maddie!" Nick bellowed when it was over, rushing over to her.

"Tori!" Blake yelled again, sprinting over to where she lay, eyes closed, "Tori?" she opened her eyes.

"Blake?" she murmured, "Can I go to sleep now?"

"Yeah," Blake nodded, "Yeah I think you can." He let out a burst of relieved laughter, he leaned forward kissing her on the lips, careful that his helmet didn't scrape her milky skin, "Love you Tor."

"Love you too." She whispered, finally falling asleep. He strapped her morpher to her arm, just in case, and then turned to look at Maddie and Nick.

"Maddie?" Nick shook her, "Madison?"

"Sis!" Vida ran over, Xander close behind.

"Hmmmm." The Red Ranger backed up, looking at the strange watch on her wrist, "And the spell is almost permanent on her." She clapped her hands in glee as Taylor turned to glare at her, "Oh I just knew she'd have to heal Tori first!" she giggled, "I'm so smart!"

"Not really." Sky smirked behind his helmet, his voice stopping the other rangers from attacking, "Otherwise you would've hidden your weakness better."

"Maddie? Maddie?" Nick breathed a sigh of relief as she slowly came to.

"Sis, what's the counter spell?" Vida asked frantically as Maddie blinked in confusion.

"My weakness?" The Red Ranger burst out laughing as Sky came to stand in front of the other rangers, "Hello, I took care of both of those!" she gestured toward where the unconscious Tori lay. "Problem solved, you lose!" Sky shook his head, crossing his arms.

"But Maddie's just fine, and Vida's performing the counter-spell now."

"You're soooo smart." The Red Ranger hissed, after a quick glance confirmed that what he said was true, "But you won't get a chance to tell anybody." She gestured, creating a huge fireball, and throwing it at Sky.

"Sky!" Wes yelled as the fire consumed the SPD Red Ranger, throwing the other rangers around him back. Then the fire fizzled out, revealing an unmorphed Sky, a blue shield flickering in front of him. He turned his head back toward Madison before the Red Ranger could react.

"Maddie!" he yelled as the Blue Mystic Ranger stood, "Her suit's fire-based, it's only weakness is water!"

"Sky look out!" Taylor yelled as the Red Ranger slammed into him, throwing him back against the wall where he lay, unmoving.

"Who's next?" she growled.

"Nick," Madison whispered, "Vida, Xander. Get everyone out of here. Use a transport spell. The three of you combined should be able to do it." Then there was a burst of blue sparks, as fully morphed Madison stepped forward to meet the Red Ranger.

"Sis? What are you going to…?"

"The lake, Vida." Maddie kept walking towards the Red Ranger, "The ceiling's coming down."

"Maddie?" Xander grabbed her by the shoulder, stopping her, "What about you?"

"Two words. Mystic Mermaid."

"I don't like this." Nick shook his head, as Maddie turned to him, "But we need to stop her." He hugged her, then gazed at her, his eyes meeting hers behind their visors, "Be careful."

"Good luck sis." Vida rubbed her shoulder; Xander clapped her on the back.

"You got one shot." He reminded her, and then sighed, "V, Nick? Let's get everyone out."

"No one's going anywhere." The Red Ranger lifted her sword, steam coming from off of her armor.

"Try to stop us!" Vida taunted, and then turned to where Tori, Syd, and Jen lay. "Vanishio!" nothing happened, "Vanishio!" she cried again. _Not good…_

"Tried to, and succeeded." The Red Ranger gazed at Maddie, "Still going to bring down the lake around me?" Madison looked at the other rangers, meeting their gazes one by one. Then she turned back to the Red Ranger.

"Yes."

"You'd destroy your friends?" at this Maddie shrugged.

"They can take care of themselves." Then she sprinted forward, buying the other rangers time as she engaged the Red Ranger in hand to hand combat.

"Wes!" Dana called out orders as the rangers rushed together, "Grab Jen. Taylor, Eric, hold on to Sky and Syd. Blake get to Tori. Huddle up and grab onto each other!"

"Wait!" Ashley yelled, "What about Tommy and Kimberly?"

"Jason and Kat!" Andros looked frantically around, "The tunnels will flood, they'll drown!"

"Hey!" Jason suddenly appeared at the top of stairs closest to them, "We're the original rangers, give us some credit!" Kat ran up beside them and he grabbed her hand, running toward them. Tommy and Kimberly ran up right beside them.

"We were looking for you guys!" Kim laughed as they joined the group.

"Red Ranger?" Tommy was all business.

"Maddie's taking care of her." Nick admitted, "Hang tight it's going to get wet."

"POWER OF WATER!" Madison cried as she and the Red Ranger sprang apart from each other. The Lake shuddered as Madison's magic reached it.

"Vanishio!" The Red Ranger screamed, only to find Madison's hand on her arm.

"Tried to, and succeeded." Madison reminded gently, and then she turned towards the rangers, meeting Nick's eyes.

"NO!"

The lake gently fell.

--

--

A/N Thanks to penfic, HardHeadMaddieNickFan, Awalhili, Original-Red-And-Pink-4ever, and dguice for reviewing!! If I missed anybody, sorry! To be honest, I still don't know who the Red Ranger is... so I really appreciate the suggestions! Geez, I'm going to have to work on writing another story, this one's almost over!


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9-- _final chapter! makes me kind of sad.._

"Rangers!" Udonna yelled from the edge of the lake, as it seemed to implode slightly upon itself. It wasn't very major looking from the surface of the clear blue water, but she knew that it must be chaos in the depths where the rangers where.

"They'll come through this." Leanbow reached an arm around his wife, meeting Daggeron's eyes behind her head.

"Medical potions, herbs, and I even got some stuff from the human realm!" Clare chirped from behind, "Chip's almost healed, so I left a note in case he wakes up."

"Wonderful." Udonna replied, walking towards the sorceress, "Let us get them all organized, to better help the rangers when they surface." She bent down, already busy managing the potions and herbs.

"Leanbow." Daggeron called softly. The Wolf Ranger turned away from watching his wife, "I think I see one."

"Where?"

"There." Daggeron pointed, squinting, "Space ranger. ANDROS!" Leanbow flinched, not expecting the Solaris Knight to yell.

"He's alive." Leanbow breathed, watching the Space ranger, "There's another… he's holding her up…" he turned back to his wife, "It's a pity there aren't any ranger boats."

"I'm on it." Daggeron called, summoning his carpet.

--

Andros treaded water, holding his precious cargo's head above the water. The gallons of water had hit the rangers hard, even with the Mystic Mermaid blocking much of it. He had refused to let go off Ashley, even when had blacked out for a small moment, he still had her.

"Red Space Ranger Andros of KO-35?" A deep voice suddenly asked from above him. "Daggeron, Solaris Knight of Mystic Force." Andros squinted at him, his vision still recovering. Was… was that a carpet?

"Yes." He finally stuttered, "Can you-" the carpet settled down closer to the water.

"Got her." Daggeron interrupted, pulling Ashley up onto the carpet, "Up you go."

"Thanks." Andros gasped out, when he was safely on the carpet, his muscles screaming at him.

"To shore." Daggeron nodded, the carpet sluggish with all of the weight. He looked back behind them with a sinking feeling as more heads began to pop up out of the water, this method would take too long, they needed another way to get them all to safety.

--

"Kim?" Tommy yelled, as his arms and legs pumped through the water around him, "Jason?" They had been trapped in that room for hours, forced into talking about their feelings. A lot of crap had been tossed aside, and Tommy and Jason had finally gotten a chance to get their girls back. Metaphorically speaking.

"Tommy!" Kimberly swam over to him, and he dimly remembered her being scuba certified, but that train of thought led to Divatox, and Kim's time being evil.

"Kimberly, thank goodness!" He breathed, kissing her. They had both finally said that no other relationship measured up to what they had, they just simply loved each other.

"Jason? Kat?" Kim asked, looking around frantically. Kim worried. That was why she sent the letter to Tommy. She couldn't take seeing the battle on TV, and never knowing if he was okay or not. She knew that whoever he was facing would be messing with his head, and he needed someone to support him within the team, not just from the other side of the country. So Kim had sent the letter, knowing that if Kat knew that they broke up, she would help Tommy get through it, and become that support. She asked Kat to replace her in more ways than one.

It was the hardest thing she ever had to do, but Tommy might not have made it through a number of battles if it wasn't for Katherine's love, like when the Machine Empire brainwashed him into fighting Jason.

"Kim!" A voice gasped out from behind her, Kimberly whipped around, "Tommy!" the blonde head struggled to stay above the waves, "It's Jason… help!" Kim quickly swam over, followed closely by Tommy, aiding the struggling Kat in keeping an unconscious Jason afloat.

The two were an unlikely pair, but after Kat served as a Ranger she had gone off to London to train as a dancer, leaving Tommy alone yet again. Tommy had imagined them together forever, seeing them as old parents, telling their story to their child, who would also bear the mantle of being a ranger. But it wasn't to be. There was a huge thunderbolt that struck them all, Trini's death. He remembered the funeral well. Kim was a mess, and in her state of distress she and Tommy had become close friends again, with Tommy offering her the support she needed to get through the funeral.

Jason took it the hardest. While Billy had gotten over his crush on Trini early in his ranger years, Jason never had. He had loved Trini, and had suffered his crush in silence, feeling that Trini only looked to him as a friend. Katherine attended the funeral, along with many various Rangers who came to pay their respects, and before Kim finally collapsed into Tommy's embrace, Jason had collapsed into hers. Kat was the perfect comfort for a tattered soul, she knew instinctively what to say and do. Soon she was spending more and more time with the original Red Ranger, and the two had finally admitted in the cave that they would like to see where a relationship went.

"Katherine, are you okay?" Tommy asked, he and Kimberly helping to keep Jason's head above he water. Kat nodded.

"Let's get him to shore." Kim said, and the four veteran rangers began the long swim to the edge of the lake, intent of getting their friend medical help, and confident that the other rangers could take care of themselves.

--

Blake blinked, trying to decide if the bright light indicated death or something else. He kinda hoped it was something else. He closed his eyes, liking the back of his eyelids better than the light. His body felt heavy and useless, like that time when-

"Blake?" a soft voice penetrated his thoughts. Blake inwardly smiled. He loved it when she said his name; it made him want to beat his chest like a caveman. _Caveman?_ His bubble burst, where had that thought come from? His mind whirled; the Red Ranger had kidnapped Tori at one of his races. He went to Briarwood to get her back. He got her back. Death spell. Madison. Death spell. Lake. The lake! He let out a little groan, that's why he felt pounded.

"Blake?" that soft voice wavered, worry evident in its tone. Blake smiled drunkenly, opening his eyes. This time a beautiful blonde bombshell blocked out most of the light, her face taking up most of his vision.

"Tori…" he murmured, then he winced, he felt like one big bruise.

"Blake!" she smiled, and Blake felt instantly better.

"Is he awake?" A more adult voice asked.

"Yeah." Tori grinned like an idiot, "Yeah he's going to be fine."

"Tor…" Blake struggled to sit up, "Tori the death spell…"

"Maddie countered it." Tori frowned, "Don't you remember?" Blake rubbed his forehead, Tori helping to support him as he sat up. The black smoke coming out of Tori… Tori screaming, Madison thrown against the wall. Madison fighting the Red Ranger. The lake falling. Gallons of water hitting them as Blake woke Tori up and made her morph. Tori getting swept away from him.

"Yeah…" Blake sighed, dropping his hand, "It's all coming back…" he looked at her, his eyes still not quite adjusted to the bright sunlight of the beach, "Are you okay? The smoke…"

"It hurt." Tori admitted, shrugging, "But I'm as good as new now."

"Madison?" Tori shook her head, helping him to stand. He looked around the beach. There was Ashley and Andros, Tommy, Kimberly, Jason, Kat. There was an unconscious Sky lying on the beach, Udonna was treating Syd, and it looked like Daggeron was flying Wes and Jen back on some sort of flying carpet.

"I have to help look for people." Tori hugged him, "I'm glad you're okay."

"No Tori." Blake buried his head in her shoulder, breathing deeply, "I'm so glad **you're** okay. I don't know what I would have done…"

"I know." Tori whispered, pulling back. She gave him a quick peck, "You're life would've been over because your true love would be gone."

"I would've gotten over it." Blake teased back, "Go do your thing."

--

"What about Sky?" Syd asked again. Udonna looked at her patiently as she finished setting her wrist.

"I believe he will wake." Udonna stood, "There is nothing I can really do for him." Syd nodded as she walked away to check on Jason, who was also unconscious.

"Sky?" she kneeled down in the sand next to him, "Hey," she swallowed, "Want to wake up already?" He didn't move. "Sky!" she huffed, the sat down, facing the lake and crossing her arms, "Schuyler Tate, this is so inconsiderate. How dare you worry me like this?" she frowned, "You are the most hard-headed, egocentric, by-the-rules, jerk-face, unfair, ungrateful, horrible, brute of a man!" she let out another huff, "I'm never going to speak to you again if you don't wake up." She thought for a moment, "Actually I couldn't really speak to you again anyway, could I?" she whipped back around to face him, "I'll let Gruumm loose again. That's what I'll do. I'll let Gruumm loose just because I know that you would hate that. I'd do it. I would." She felt tears prick her eyes, "Don't think I won't, I will, Schuyler Tate, I will do it."

"Syd…" Sky cracked open an eye, "What are you rambling about?"

"Sky!" Syd squealed, ignoring the pain in her ribs and wrist and throwing herself on top of him.

"Ow." Sky winced, then Sydney pulled away and whacked him on the chest with her good hand, "Ow! What was that for?"

"For scaring me half to death and making me threaten to do something I could never do!" she glared at him, "How _dare_ you worry me like that!"

"Yeah, like it was a walk in the park for me!" Sky shot back, sitting up, "Syd." He looked at her, suddenly turning dead serious, "What happened? How'd we get out? The last thing I remember is telling Madison her weakness was water…"

"You're ahead of me." Sydney shrugged, wincing as it pulled at her ribs, "I remember you carrying me into the arena, then I blacked out and woke up on this beach, Udonna healing me."

"Syd." Sky grabbed her good hand, "You're okay then?"

"I'll survive." She chirped back.

"Good, cus I'm going to kill you."

"What?" Syd whipped her hand out of his, frowning, "Why?"

"You exchanged injuries with me!" Sky fumed, "You almost died!"

"Oh yeah, like I could've have carried you out of there on my own!" Syd shot back, "You said you knew the Red Ranger's secret, and I knew you stood a better chance of fighting her then I did."

"Sydney Drew you disobeyed a direct order."

"So court-martial me for all I care." Syd began to stand, but Sky stopped her,

"Why'd you do it?" he asked softly, "How'd you do it?"

"The Red Ranger." Syd admitted, Sky let out a curse, "She didn't manipulate me into doing it, although she tried." She closed her eyes, then opened them, looking into his, "The why of it is because I love you, you big stinkball."

"I love you too." Sky told her, grinning slightly, "And that means I don't ever want you doing that again!"

--

"There you go." Daggeron said, helping Wes get Jen down from the carpet. Jen was still in comatose, while Wes was completely exhausted.

"Thanks." Wesley smiled tiredly, carrying his one true love away from the water. He set her down, waving away Clare. There wasn't anything she could do. Jen had to wake up on her own. He sighed, laying down next to her and throwing a muscular arm over his eyes.

"Oh Jen." He sighed again. It had taken all of his strength to hold onto her when Maddie collapsed the lake. He remembered Maddie going into titan form, and rushing over to protect them. He remembered the water hitting the Mystic Mermaid, the force of the water knocking her out of Titan mode. After that, he just remembered clutching Jen with all of his might as the water tried to sweep her away, and then fighting to get them to the surface. He felt himself drifting; he wished Jen would wake up. He wanted as much time with her as possible before she had to go back to the future. Then he was jolted back to reality as someone kissed him on the lips.

"What the-" he bolted up, only to be met by Jen's naughty grin, "Jen!" he pulled her into a bone-crushing hug.

"Wes." Jen gasped, grinning as he squeezed the air out of her, but she didn't care, she was doing the same to him. "I knew you'd find me."

"Yeah well." Wes pulled back, gazing into her eyes, "It was my turn to save you."

--

Xander burst up out of the water, looking around desperately as he wiped his face off, "VIDA!" He yelled, before diving back underwater. The clear water was clean and easy to see in, but he couldn't see Vida. Kicking back up to the surface, he looked around again. "V!" he shouted, he dived back down, panic slowly settling into his chest.

Then he saw a flash of pink. It was her ridicules pink hair. He swam toward her, even though he was already running out of air. Grabbing her around the waist, he kicked back up to the surface.

"Vida." He gave her cheeks a light slap, "Vida? C'mon V!" her eyes fluttered open as she coughed. He frowned as he felt his adrenaline rush slowly fade. Pain was registering in his system, but he would keep her up if it killed him.

"Xander?" she muttered, he gave her his signature cocky grin.

"Hey there pinky." She smiled at him, and then froze.

"Sis?" she panicked, looking around, "Maddie?" she looked back at him, "Where's my sister?!"

"I don't know." Xander admitted, remembering her going titan before the water hit, "She could be back at shore already. I'm sure she's fine V." he blinked, and then suddenly went underwater.

"Xander!" Vida shouted, diving under and hauling him back to the surface. He grinned at her again, this time his smile etched with pain and exhaustion.

"Sorry," he shook his head, "Can't really do this much longer." He admitted. Vida frowned, looking back toward the shoreline.

"Nick's probably got Maddie." She finally said, kicking toward the shore with Xander in tow, "We've got to get you to shore."

"Sorry, V." he repeated, as she half-dragged him along.

"Don't apologize." Vida snapped, turning her head and giving him a hard peck on the cheek, "It's the Red Ranger I'm going to kill."

"If she's still alive." Xander muttered.

--

"It's Carter!" Dana gasped out, as Daggeron appeared in his carpet in front of them, "He's too heavy, I can't keep him up!"

"I'll take care of him healer." Daggeron leaned down, helping Dana to hoist the Red Ranger up on the carpet. Then he pulled her up. She collapsed back, her muscles shaking, breathing hard She had been supporting Carter's dead weight and treading water for a good chunk of time. If Daggeron hadn't seen them and flown over, she would've been in trouble. She and Carter wouldn't have made it.

"Is he all right?" Daggeron asked as the carpet turned sluggishly toward shore. Dana nodded, taking time to check him over.

"He should be fine." She breathed out, smiling at the Knight, "He's just got a small concussion, all that water. But he should be fine." She was blabbering now, she dimly realized, "Lots of water, and I think he was trying to protect me." Daggeron nodded and she shut her mouth, her cheeks pinking.

"You are a very strong women. It is easy to see why you were chosen as a Ranger." He smiled sagely at her as they neared the shore, "It is an honor to have had the privilege to meet you. I hope we can all spend more time together before you head back." Dana swallowed; having read the history of the Solaris Knight in the reports that Carter had given her on the Mystic Ranger force. The Solaris Knight was a formidable opponent, and meeting him now made it easy to see why he was a Knight.

"Thank you." She nodded, "That would be awesome." He helped her off the carpet, and Leanbow was there to help them with Carter.

"Some of the Rangers still need medical attention." He told her, then turned to Daggeron, "Vida and Xander are in need of help I believe." Daggeron shot up, already looking out on the lake for them. Then he and his carpet shot off.

"He, Vida, and Madison are very close." Leanbow told her, then smiled apologetically as if knowing that she'd rather be seeing to Carter than helping Udonna and Clare with medical garbage, "I will fetch you the moment he wakes."

--

Taylor was royally…. Well let's just say she was very upset. She was sopping wet, having a horrible hair day, and she felt like a giant bruise. All she wanted to do was swim to shore, get a nice hot shower, and go to sleep for about a year. But no, instead her insufferable boyfriend wanted to _talk._ Now, when at any moment he could run out of strength and sink to the bottom of the lake, he wanted to talk. Oh yeah, Taylor was not a happy ranger.

"Taylor." Eric repeated her name, his face deadly serious.

"Eric, we have to get you medical attention, we don't have time to talk!" she began swimming toward shore, only to have Eric grab her wrist, yanking her through the water and pulling her against him. His mouth crushed hers in a heated kiss. Taylor's body buzzed as it always did when Eric kissed her. Then he released her, breathing hard.

"I love you." He breathed out, "I was going to do this all romantically with the ring and all… but…" he paused as her eyes got wide, then went for broke, "I can't wait another second. Taylor, will you marry me?"

"Ohmygod." Taylor blinked, then threw her arms around him without thinking, causing them both to be dunked in the water, they surfaced together, Taylor fusing her mouth to his.

"Is that a yes?" Eric gasped when her lips temporarily pulled away from his.

"Hell yes." Taylor replied, bringing her head back down.

--

"Oh my goodness." Jen breathed as she and Wes eyed the lake in search of Taylor and Eric. "Wow."

"What?" Wes shaded his eyes, "You see them?"

"Yeah," Jen gave him a look, "They're making out."

"What?!" Wes followed her finger, and then burst out laughing, "Wow is right! I guess he asked her!" Jen just squealed in delight.

"Taylor and Eric are going to get married!" She yelled to the other rangers, they broke into cheers and cat-calls.

"Oops." Wes winced, "They stopped, I think Taylor's glaring at us. No, wait." He turned away, grinning at Jen, "They're making out again."

--

_"Madison."_ Maddie was floating. Just floating. She felt so light and airy. Then she was slammed back into her body, pain assailing her senses. She was shaking… no someone was shaking her… what was going on? She felt herself being lifted, cradled; she felt something wet hit her cheeks. She pulled back, away from knowing, away from the pain.

"_Please Maddie. Please."_ A familiar voice wafted through into her dream state. She frowned trying to place the voice. It was so familiar. _"I love you Maddie. I couldn't really say it before, I didn't know how. But I do. I love you. Please wake up."_

Nick. Maddie felt her heart soar, he loved her. She struggled up to the surface of her mind, the pain came rushing back, like an old memory. Maddie gasped, feeling her lungs breathing in air, feeling heavy, more grounded.

"Nick." She tried to say, but it came out funny. She tried again, "Nick."

"Maddie?" he wiped his eyes off, "Madison?"

"Nick." It came out more of a croak.

"Thank God!" he pulled her into his arms, holding on to her as if the world were going to end any second, "You're going to okay."

"Nick." She closed her eyes against his chest, "I love you."

"I love you too Madison." He grinned at her.

"Where," She swallowed, her throat dry despite both her and Nick being soaked, "Where are we?"

"The opposite side of the lake from where all the other rangers are."

"Oh." Madison kept her eyes closed, "I don't think I can move." She admitted.

"We'll wait a minute, then I'll fly you over." Nick replied, settling down with her curled up against his chest, "You're amazing Maddie."

"Hmmm." She replied. He waited a beat.

"We really should get back though." He grinned at her as she squinted up at him, "Vida's probably worried sick, not to mention Xander, Daggeron, or my mom and dad." He nuzzled her nose impulsively, "But what do you say we make an entrance?"

--

Vida glared out at the lake, as if intimidating it would make it give up her sister and Nick.

"I'm sure Nick's got her." Xander confronted her from his place on the ground beside her.

"I hope so." Vida admitted, sitting down and resting her head on his shoulder.

"VIDA!" Tori ran up the small sand dune that they perched on top of, "There was a dragon!" Tori lifted her arms excitedly, "A dragon! It just flew by!"

"Fire Heart!" Vida and Xander bolted up, running down to join the other rangers, "He must be going after Nick!"

"Something's flying toward us!" Ashley pointed up at the sky from her place on the ground where Dana was treating the cut on her head, Andros and Carter hovering close by.

"NICK!!" Vida yelled, Xander grinned from beside her. Tommy looked over at the bandaged Jason.

"I think he's better at making grand entrances than you are!" he teased. The former Red Ranger punched him in the arm good-naturedly.

"Whatever Mr. Greatest-Ranger of all time!"

"He's got Madison!"

"He can fly? No fair!"

"I wonder if that dragon can be picked up on radar?"

"I can't believe they have a pet dragon!"

"Why didn't I ever get a battalizer like that?"

"Why do Red Rangers get all the cool stuff?"

"My Q-rex is way cooler than a dragon."

"SIS!" Vida rushed forward as Nick landed, and with a flash he and Fire Heart separated.

"Thanks Fire Heart!" Nick called as the dragon roared, flying off. He turned back to the group of Rangers, Madison safe in his arms, "Power down!" he cried, dropping his morph.

"Sis!" Vida stroked her forehead.

"Vida she's fine." Nick cradled the Blue Mystic Ranger gently, "She's just tired."

"That's it then?" they turned towards Kimberly, "Where's the Red Ranger. I can't believe she would just give up like this."

"I wouldn't." Everyone looked up. On top of the sand dune that Xander and Vida had sat upon, was the Red Ranger. Her suit was giving off sparks, rips and tears evident on the suit. It had to be taking her a huge effort just to stay morphed. "I was going to just say goodbye. But I do have a couple presents."

"We don't want anything from you!" Carter growled, swaying slightly.

"I don't care." The Red Ranger snapped back, before taking a deep breath, "Jen, Wes." The two stiffened, "I talked to Jen's commander. She can stay."

"Really?" Jen looked doubtful, "Why?"

"You've both done enough. Been through enough." She clutched her arm in sudden pain, and then continued, "It didn't take much convincing." She turned to the group, "I just…. I couldn't take the fact that you were all in love with each other, but couldn't admit it. I wanted you to stop beating around the bush and just tell one another." She raised her helmet, "I have no regrets. Everyone's alive, everyone's happy. In the end, we all got what we wanted." She began to turn away, when suddenly a burst of yellow flew through the air.

"Hi-YAH!" The Yellow Mystic Ranger yelled, his foot connecting solidly with the Red Rangers chest, throwing her back over the Rangers heads. Her morph flickered for an instant, revealing a dark-haired women, as she landed face first on the ground. "Yeah!" Chip pumped a yellow fist in the air, "Take that!"

"Chip!" Vida cried, grinning at him. But her happy smile quickly evaporated as she joined the others in circling around the Red Ranger.

"Sorry guys." The Red Ranger gasped out, her hands gripping the sand, "This is one party I'm going to have to skip out on."

"No." Madison stood, leaning carefully on Nick, "I want to know exactly who you are."

"I concur." Taylor growled from beside Eric, her hands fisting. The Red Ranger laughed, before it broke into a cough.

"Just another ranger." She raised her helmet, "Who got a little power boost." She let out another racking cough. "I have a life to get back to. I won't bother you again." She began evaporating, "May the power protect you." She disappeared in a shower of… black sparks.

"No!" Carter fell to his knees and pounded the ground, "We had her!"

"Hmm." They all looked at the Green turned White, then Red, then Black Ranger, he had a small smile on his face.

"Tommy?" Jason asked, as the ranger in question took Kimberly's hand.

"I think…" Tommy paused, looking at Kimberly, "We should go back to Rootcore, have some hot cocoa, and get everyone's story on what happened. Then we'll decide what to do about finding the 'Red' Ranger."

They never found her.

They decided not to even try.

--

--

A/N so it's anyone's guess as to who the Red Ranger was... but I decided it was better that it be left up to the readers, and the rangers, imagination. If they found out, nothing would have stopped Taylor, Eric, Vida, Sky, Nick, or even Carter from going after her and making her pay. Understandably, as was a _very_ naughty ranger. Although if that did happen, it would lead to a sequel... shoot now I'm thinking too much. I'll come back and edit the story later, but for now it's as is. Hope you enjoyed! I'll get another story posted as soon as possible!


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